


Whiskey Rose

by Blacsparrow



Category: RWBY
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Revenge, Romance, Western, Wild West
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-27
Updated: 2017-11-13
Packaged: 2019-01-23 22:34:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 46,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12518080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blacsparrow/pseuds/Blacsparrow
Summary: The little town of Beacon was home to many good people living simple and honest lives. When the Schnee Rail Company sends an inspector and the heiress to their company to the town in order to judge the potential benefit to adding a rail station things go a little sideways. Leaving a woman in a red cloak the one needed to set things right again.





	1. The Girl that Won the West

Beta Read by: Crescent Sunrise

**Chapter 1: The Girl that Won the West**

Silver eyes.

Her father used to tell her that people with silver eyes were blessed with bright futures and happy endings. When she was a little girl she believed him.

He would come in from the field where their cattle were grazing with a smile every evening, kiss her mother, hug her and her sister before pulling them onto his lap and telling them a story. He would always claim the stories were some ancient Indian legend or old Chinese myths. But they always knew he made them up as he went along. Usually because the details would change on retellings, and in hindsight, they were never really very good.

Taiyang Xiao Long had come over to America with a boat full of other migrant workers, meant to mine iron and set down rail road tracks. It was hard, back breaking work, but he did not have any complaints about it. According to him it was still a step up from how he was living back in China, unwanted by most everyone there with his bright blonde hair marking him as having at least one foreign parent. So he worked, mining ore while his wife, Raven, helped around the camp by hauling water to keep the workers from dehydrating.

Tai had never learned how to read, but he was able to speak the English of his overseers, having made the acquaintance of a drifter by the name of Qrow before moving to America. Never mind that the drifter was also his brother-in-law. When his employers learned this, he became more valuable to them. Suddenly his workload lessened as more and more they turned to him to talk with other workers so their needs could be understood and vice versa.

Less and less Tai had to haul iron or hammer road spikes as more accommodations were made for him and Raven. No one begrudged Tai this increase in status because the comfort was something he shared happily, and many knew he only kept enough to ensure the comfort of the then pregnant Raven. As the more gravid she became, the less she was able to work.

Tai always told her that he had four moments in his life where he could not have been happier. His marriages, first to Raven and later, to Summer. And the days she and her older sister were born.

It was shortly after Yang was born that the camp her father was working at was raided. He didn't know if it was the Native Americans made aggressive by the encroaching camps on the territories, some band of outlaws hired by a rival company, or some band of bandits looking to steal any valuables the workers might have brought with them from China. In the end, it didn't matter. Some workers made it away, Tai was one of them, holding Yang in his arms.

Raven was not.

It was a few weeks later, after selling most of his own possessions to keep himself and Yang fed that he came across the small bit of farmland owned by the Rose family. The parents had fallen ill with fever and needed help with their small herd until either they passed or recovered. Tai leapt on the chance, securing a roof and food for his daughter and honest work. He never complained, and learned quickly from the daughter of the couple, Summer Rose.

He quite obviously made a good impression on her. Because, even after they elder couple passed away he wasn't asked to leave, as he had feared she would sell the land and he would be without a livelihood once more if he couldn't convince the new owners to keep him on. He learned the reason why a year later, when after falling for the woman, she accepted his hand in marriage.

Two years after the gift from the gods that was his first daughter, he was once more blessed with a second. And Ruby grew to be a cheerful and innocent girl with a love of the color red with bright silver eyes. As she grew he would trade milk, meat, and leather with a local tribe. And always returned home with a small sack of red dye he would mix and use to color the tips of her black hair.

For several years they were happy. Yang Xiao Long and Ruby Rose grew into young and desirable beauties with a father and mother who couldn't have been more proud of them. If a bit cautious on Tai's part at the attention they received from men.

But happiness is not a thing easily kept and the west was often referred to with a 'wild' in front for a reason. Life was comfortable, and while they were not rich they had the necessities, and it was enough. It was not meant to last. The first warning was a gunshot from out in the field one evening. A common enough sound to meant to drive predators away from the herd or the small chicken coop. The ladies of the house thought nothing of it. Yang had left some time before, heading into town to tend bar at a local tavern where her golden curls and impressive bust would encourage many return customers.

When the second shot came, Summer frowned, she stood up heading to the door. It's rare for any predator not to take its chances elsewhere after the first shot is fired, and Taiyang was a good shot. Having picked up a Model 73 Winchester lever action and started practicing with it, before starting to teach his daughters. No one was too innocent in the West to learn self-defense. Too many predators, both man and beast, to pardon such a lapse no matter how peaceful a life was lead.

As Summer opened the door leading to the field, Ruby heard her gasp and got up from where she was sewing a tear in her cloak to see what was going on. The fearful look on her mother's face as she grabbed a revolver and a box of rounds was not comforting. Her mother paused, rushing over and picking up Ruby's cloak, draping it around the young girl's shoulders before leading her from the house by the hand, revolver gripped with white knuckles in the other.

"Ruby, take Dahlia and get to town. Find the sheriff first and have him and his deputies' ride out here as fast as they can. Then I want you to find your sister, and stay with her until your father or I come to get you. Go now, I need to help Tai." She says as they run for the stable. When everyone was home, there was three horse on the property, Dahlia, Georgie and Max. Georgie was ornery and only let Taiyang ride him, so he went into the field with Tai while Max was Yang's favorite. So she took him into town with her when she had to work. That left Dahlia, a pretty and young chestnut mare they got recently for Ruby to practice riding on and also so they could make trips into town while Yang and Tai were working.

Ruby was confused, and it showed. More shots were being fired out in the field and nothing like this had ever happened before. "Ma, what's going on? Why do I need to get the Sheriff?" She asks, panic settling into her tone and unnerving the horse as the saddle is placed swiftly, then Ruby is pushed onto it.

"There's no time little rose. Ride at a full gallop, Dahlia is young but she can make it, especially since you're riding light. Don't look back Ruby. Don't look back and don't stop for anything until you reach the Sheriff." Summer says, pulling the horse out of the stables before slapping its hind quarters to get it moving. The mare takes off down the road as Ruby lurches forward to keep her balance, her small hands gripping for the reigns.

She's almost over the first hill when she finally gets her hands around the reigns and does exactly what she was told not to. She looks back. Her eyes wide in horror as she spots the blonde head of her father in the field, his rifle in hand as he fires over the barrel chest of a downed Georgie towards a group of people in their field shooting back and shouting. That's all she can register before Dahlia goes over the hill and cuts off her sight before she looks forward again and urges the horse faster, leaning tight to the frame of the powerful animal as it thunders down the road toward the town and safety.

* * *

Cool orbs of dull silver open quickly before snapping shut as a low groan escapes the woman. A hand lifting to cover her eyes from the sunlight streaming from the window next to the bed. She grumbles incoherently as she shifts, hoping to ease the headache throbbing in her brain. A hangover and an empty whiskey bottle on the nightstand, combined with the clothing left on the floor and the warm body wrapped around her providing a legacy to her activities the night before.

She slowly cracks her eyes open as they adjust to the light of the room, before lowering her blanket and gently shifting the arm wrapped around her waist aside before moving to sit up on the edge of the bed. Her hand grips a crumpled box of cigarettes on the nightstand before shaking it and opening the top, taping out one of the sticks of sweet tobacco before replacing the box on the stand for the lighter that had been left next to it.

With a flip of the top she strikes the flint a few times before shaking it and trying again, letting out a frustrated sound before closing the lid. She was about to leave the bed when a pair of firm breasts press into her bare back. Tanned arms reaching around her, hugging her gently with one hand while the other flips open a silver plated lighter with some fancy design on the side. It lights on the second strike of flint and brought to the stick hanging from the silver-eyed woman's lips. It holds steady as the woman with silver eyes takes a few puffs to light her smoke.

Once lit, the smoker gives a small grunt and the lighter is closed and moved away before the hand returns, sliding teasingly up along the woman's stomach to gently cup a breast. The touch is soft and tender as it tries to tempt her back into the warmth of the sheets she just pulled herself from.

She pauses, seeming to contemplate the silent offer as she draws in a lung full of burning smoke before letting it out in a slow exhale. Eventually she pulls away from the skilled hands rubbing at her body and begins pulling on her clothing. Black denim gripping her thighs before being matched with a soft red shirt that is tucked into the pants and followed by a belt, lined with the ammunition and a holstered Peacemaker as clean as the day it was purchased. She finishes with a cloak, before pulling a roll of bills from her pocket and counting out a few, setting them on the nightstand before grabbing the empty lighter and crumbled box of smokes.

"Ya don't have to pay me, you know? I'd be happier if you didn't actually." The woman on the bed comments as the now dressed one turns to meet her eye. Dull silver meeting the disappointment in a single steel blue orb. It wasn't the first time May had made this offer, and it wasn't likely to be the last. They both knew what it would mean if Ruby didn't pay. But as much as the silver eyed woman appreciated the sentiment, she just wasn't looking for a relationship.

"Ya know I do. Sorry May, but you know I can't provide that for ya. You're sweet, and I'm too cold for it." She replies, ignoring the sigh from the girl behind her as she heads for the door. May was a comfort girl, some might just call them 'whores' or 'prostitutes' but a comfort girl, at least a good one, wasn't just about spreading her legs. It was about providing companionship to travel weary souls who pass through, needing someone to tend to wounds you can't see. Even if it's only a temporary balm. The Wild West had certainly earned its name, and there was a darkness in the hearts of man that seemed to feed on the loneliness of those living in the plains.

The silver eyed woman found her balm in the arms of the comfort girls working at this tap house, and May was her preferred care giver. The woman had lost an eye in an accident when she was young, but it hadn't made her hard. Instead, it only seemed to make her softer, both in body and temperament. She had a way of soothing those who came to her that made her worth every cent spent on the service.

Unfortunately it was that service that now prevented the armed woman from pursuing something more meaningful with her. Not because she looked down on the profession, far from it. It was simply that she had shared far too much of herself with the dusky rose haired girl. Her darkest moments and thoughts she had laid bare while crying into the shoulder of that far too kind woman. Things she would never want lingering over the head of a relationship, no matter how accepting the partner is.

* * *

She makes her way to the bar, her hood pulled up to protect her eyes as she focuses on keeping her feet steady. The empty whisky bottle she had left behind had been full the night before when she walked in, and she had done most of the emptying herself. With a heavy thump she lands on a stool before lowering her face to the cool wood of the bar counter, her lit smoke hovering an inch or so over the surface.

The blonde in front of her rolls her eyes and moves to a bubbling pot of rich black fluid, filling a cup before setting it between them, along with a cup of water. "Drink the water first. And if that smoke marks my counter top, Ruby, I'm going to tan your hide." She threatens before going back to drying the collection of glasses that had been soaking in a tub of soapy water overnight.

Ruby grumbles, lifting her head again before obediently pulling the glass of clear water closer, sipping it slowly at first, letting the coffee cool while she does so it won't scald her tongue.

"Were you with May again?" Yang asks conversationally. Violet irises flicking from the red cape of her half-sister to the staircase leading to the bedrooms.

Ruby's eyes narrow under her hood as she looks up from the glass. "Don't start Yang. You know I'm not looking for it and I'd rather not start the day with a tussle." She replies, drinking more steadily from the glass now as the liquid rehydrates what the alcohol tried to dry out.

Yang was the only person in town immune to her sisters' nastier moods, and wasn't the slightest bit concerned by the threat as she let out a distinctly unladylike snort before crossing her arms under her bust. "Please, I handle drunks twice your size on a daily basis little sis. And you're still hung over. I could lay you out and leave you on the porch without so much as messing up my hair right now." She says with a challenge that Ruby doesn't rise to. It's not worth it so early, and the blonde was probably mostly right. After all, Ruby wouldn't fight dirty against her sister, and they both knew it.

"Honestly though Rubes, that girl is holdin' a torch for you somethin' fierce. I'm not sayin' give up the ranch and move into town, though ya know I want ya too, I just think ya ought ta' give her the chance. I think she'd do some real good for you." Yang mentions, frowning as Ruby pulls out another smoke, lighting it with the cherry on the one in her lips before putting the spent nub out on the side of the empty glass of water. The condensation letting out a quiet hiss before she pulls the mug of coffee closer.

"I said, don't start, didn't I? An' sure she might do good for me, but I wouldn't do anything but drag her down. She don't need that and I don't want it." Ruby says moving her smoke between her fingers in her left hand as she brings up the drink she actually wanted. "And don't start on the ranch. You know I'd rather you left the tap house and came back home. But we both know that ain't happnin' with the owner sellin' you this place."

There's a silence following this as the two stubborn women resume their chosen activities while staring each other down.

The stalemate is broken when May joins them at the bar, her hair wet from washing smelling pleasantly of flowers as she takes the stool next to Ruby and nodded to Yang for her own cup of coffee. She seems unaware of the tension she broke upon her arrival. Her presence serving to calm the enflamed tempers of the two sisters. "Hey, did you two hear about the Schnee heiress coming into town? From the sound of things they're lookin' to expand the railroad out this way, and she's supposed to survey the town for potential as a station."

That was news to Ruby and from the looks of things, it was the same for Yang. A train station would be a boon for the town and the tap house more than most others. The Schnee Rail Company was holding the future of the town in their hands.

"Where'd ya hear about that?" The blonde asks as both sisters turn gazes to the comfort girl.

"Mr. Port from the bank mentioned it last night before Ruby came in. Nice man, shame his wife passed away, God bless. He only ever wants someone to listen to his stories. I think he just misses the conversation." She comments with a sad smile on her face as she sips at her coffee. "Anyway, she should be in sometime this mornin'. Mayor's got a little greetin' being put together. His aide shoulda' said somethin' you ya Yang. She went around a couple days ago informing the business owners." She says with a frown that Yang mirrors with a hint of distaste.

Miss. Glynda Goodwitch was known by all to be a prude and very much against the services offered at the Little Ember tap house. It's no surprise to anyone she would forget to inform Yang about a get together to greet an important guest. Despite it being obvious that Yang would meet the woman eventually. Owning the only tavern in the small town of Beacon there was a good chance this was where the Schnee would be staying while in town.

"Alright May, I'm goin' ta head on over then. Keep an eye on the place fer me. Should only be a few more guests that stayed the night." Yang mentions setting a Model 1873 Winchester rifle on the counter that she was holding for her sister. The weapon modified to hold the same .45 colt rounds used in Ruby's Peacemaker. The rifle was Taiyangs, it and the Peacemaker her mother used were brought back with the Sheriff the night after they got to the ranch and found the husband and wife dead. The bandits had only been after the cattle and they got it.

Ruby tried to offer Yang the rifle but she turned it away. If Ruby was going to live at the Rose Ranch then Yang wanted her armed with weapons she was comfortable using. And according to Yang, the double barrel shotgun under the bar counter was good enough for her.

Before either could leave though May lifts herself to sit on the counter with a smirk on her lips. "Oh, Yang? I heard Miss. Belladonna is going to be there too. You should say hello." She adds with a wink towards the now blushing sputtering Yang before giving a tinkling laugh that practically shouts mischief.

Ruby blinks and glances between the two taller girls for a moment. Belladonna? As in Blake Belladonna the school teacher? She briefly wonders about that before shrugging and turning back to the counter. She doesn't spend enough time in town to bother keeping up with the local gossip.

Ruby grabs the rifle and heads out and across the dusty street to the general store. She had been by the previous evening, selling the milk and butter from the cows, along with eggs from the chickens she didn't use as a method to earn a small livelihood. She only really spent money on necessities, cigarettes, and occasionally for a night across the street at Yang's. She never had to pay for the room, only the drinks and services if she partook of them.

Stepping inside the store, she grabs a few boxes of ammunition along with a small bag of flour and a fresh pack of cigarettes. Grain and a bushel of apples were delivered to the ranch so she didn't have to cart them to and from herself. Which was great since she didn't have a cart of her own. She paused as she approached the counter, sitting on the counter was a familiar looking box of chocolate. Nostalgia set in, her father returning from town a wide smile on his kind face as he pulled out a bar of chocolate from his saddlebag and snapped it in half giving one half to her and the other to Yang after taking a brick from each for her mother and himself.

She shakes her head and scowls taking a step past the box before pausing, glancing back before rolling her eyes and grabbing a bar. Getting a wide smile from the store owner at the small sign that somewhere under Ruby's hardened exterior the happy young girl remained. She didn't have it in her to correct him about that notion. It would be cruel, while she had grown cold, she would never be cruel. She would be just as bad as the group that took away her parents if she did so.

She takes her purchase and heads over to where Dahlia is tied up next to Max. The horse noses at her a moment before nickering, as if in greeting, while she places her purchases in the saddlebag before untying the horse and pulling herself up. Her eyes move towards the road out of town before turning back towards the small stage where her sister is. The general store owner closing his store and heading towards the stage himself. She glances back at the saddlebag and sighs before shaking her head and guiding Dahlia towards the crowd.

She finds Yang near the back of the crowd and pulls Dahlia to the side tying her up again sliding the Winchester rifle into a saddle holster before dismounting again and grabbing the chocolate bar. Patting Dahlia's nose before walking to stand next to Yang, her hood drawn up to protect her skin from the sun as she takes the chocolate and snaps it in half, nudging the taller blonde before presenting her offering.

Yang blinks in surprise before noticing the chocolate, a sad smile crosses her lips before she takes it. They share a look and a small nod before snapping off a single brick each. Yang hands the brick to Ruby, who wraps it up with her own in the wrapper before taking a bite of the candy.

She blinks and looks at the bar, there's a slight tang to the bar that matches the bitter sweet memories of her childhood. She hears a sniff from her side and looks over at Yang. The blonde blinking and rubbing at her eyes with the back of her hands as she sniffles and takes bites from the bar, no doubt recalling the same moments Ruby was. The open display of emotion emphasized the changes between the two. Where Ruby got cold and distant after their parents were taken, Yang opened up. As if seeing the change in Ruby drove her older sister to make up for it.

Still, a crying Yang wasn't right. Yang was born to smile, she lit up the room when she did. So Ruby shifts, leaning into Yang's side, setting her head against her sister's shoulder and letting the taller woman wrap her in half a hug. The supporting weight from the smaller girl bringing a watery smile back to the tap house matron. The two ate the slightly bitter chocolate and supported each other before Yang let her go. She wipes at her eyes one last time as Ruby leans up and kisses her sisters cheek. Then Ruby moves to her horse and places the two bricks in the saddle bag.

When she turns back she spots her sister blushing brightly as a black haired beauty wearing glasses wipes at her face with a cloth. The sight is a new one for Ruby and she stops to watch, leaning against Dahlia's side with a small smile growing on her lips.

"Yang you look like you've been crying, what happened?" Blake asks, her voice calm and cultured. No lick of southern twang coloring her words as she practically demands the larger blonde to speak. Ruby looks her over and nods a bit to herself. Yang has very good taste.

"I-It's nothin' Miss. Belladonna, really. Just a bit a dust in the eye." She tries glancing at Ruby, as if asking for help, only to get a small shake of the head in response and a thumbs up, making her blush.

"Yang, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Blake? And you're a horrible liar. Did Goodwitch say something?" She asks with narrowed eyes, at which Yang has to rapidly shake her head.

"No, no, now hold on there Miss. Bellado- Blake." She corrects herself with a small smile. "Only thing she did was fail to mention this here gatherin' which really, I expect from her. Nah, the water works were just because my little sis did somethin' real sweet." She comments motioning towards Ruby who gives a short one handed wave back to the pair.

"Yang, I've got to head back. You two have fun." The silver eyed woman comments pulling herself back into the saddle for the last time, barring any other distractions between here and the edge of town.

She should learn to stop thinking things like that. She barely gets her horse turned away when she hears some excitement start up behind her and she turns to look. Spotting a carriage pulling up next to the stage, with the Rail Company logo on the side.

Curious, she watches for a moment from her seat as the carriage driver gets off the front and opens the door, a set of stairs folding down as he extends his hand inside. A girl dressed all in white with long white hair tied in a ponytail coming from the side of her head takes the hand, useing it to step down before letting herself be lead up onto the stage where Mayor Ozpin and the town Sheriff stand waiting to greet her.

Ruby slouches in her saddle as she watches the Schnee girl look out over the crowd until cold silver meets icy blue. The moment is broken as quickly as it started as she continues looking out, before clearing her throat. She starts speaking in German before blushing and shaking her head, switching to a fluent English that bespoke of tutors and long practice.

"Thank you all for coming out to greet me, I am touched by such a warm welcome from the citizens and governing bodies of Beacon. I have only just arrived and I can already tell this town is a wonderful place. As you all know, my family company is looking to expand our rail lines further west, and I'm hoping to find towns in which we can build stations along the way that will bring a positive result to not only our rail line, but also the towns along the way. I'm sure this town will-" She states in a calm even tone with a warm smile that doesn't reach her eyes. Ruby can see it from her saddle that this whole ordeal is a chore for the young woman and starts to turn away when another voice cuts in, followed by a scream from someone in the crowd.

"Sorry to interrupt the festivities but we need to borrow this little heiress. You see, her father has a lot of money. And it's his money that interests us." The line is delivered with a sultry tone from a ravishing brunette holding a knife to the throat of the heiress. While a group of others join them on stage, guns bared, masks up to cover their faces.

"What? Unhand me! What is this?" The young woman demands, starting to struggle until the knife draws a trickle of blood from her throat, making her still.

"I thought it was obvious Miss. Schnee, we're kidnapping you until your father pays us a lot of money to get you back. Sheriff, I would put that down, guns make me nervous and my hand might start getting' all twitchy-like." She states narrowing her eyes towards the Sheriff and his deputies. Her armed friends chuckling darkly as the lawman clicks his tongue with annoyance before holstering his gun and motioning for his men to follow suit.

"You know you're not getting away with this. There's not a chance in Hell we're not coming after you." He states with every bit of authority that comes with his office.

"Well Sheriff, you see, that's where you're mistaken. See, you're not going to do anything to me. Do you know why?" She asks her eyes still narrowed and now gaining a dangerous glint.

"Why?" He asks through gritted teeth, his hand trembling to keep from reaching for his pistol again.

"Because dear Sheriff, You can't chase someone from six feet under. Bury'em boys." She orders as those with her open up, filling the lawmen with lead, the bullets peppering their bodies amongst the screams of the crowd. Ruby narrowing her eyes at the scene, not wanting that many guns turned her way she keeps her hands on the reins, tightened to a white knuckled grip.

With people cowering everywhere and starting to run, Ruby watches the leader cackle with glee as she pushes their kidnapping victim to one of her men before turning to follow them into the carriage.

It's the image of her back that ends Ruby's inactivity.

The tattoo between her shoulder blades matches the charred ground left in the field of her ranch where her father was murdered. It was the symbol of the Grimm Gang.

That makes her Cinder, the leader. And as soon as that thought hits Ruby's mind she pulls her rifle and cocks it. Firing from the hip and catching the gang leader in the arm. She snarls at the miss and cocks her rifle again ejecting the spent and smoking casing before lifting it to aim properly, and catching a bullet in the side for her trouble. The force of the hit knocking her from her horse as the bandits hightail it out of town.

Ruby's vision swims as she struggles to get back up, walking in the direction of their retreating forms before falling forward as darkness overcomes her vision.


	2. Licking wounds

Beta read by: Crescent Sunrise

**Chapter 2: Licking wounds  
**

The workplace of Doctor Oobleck was a singular mess of confusion fitting for the town's eccentric healer. Every tool of his trade had it's place, clustered around and between books ranging from medicine to history. What that order is, only the doctor could tell you. That is, if you could manage to get the quick footed man to stand still long enough to do so.

With Beacon being a quiet and friendly sort of place his usual work was in the treatment of illness or the occasional injury due to cattle bucking an unwary ranch hand. Bullet wounds were certainly out of place, thank the Lord for that. Still it was something to happen on occasion and thus the good doctor had some experience in the removal of lead and treatment of the wounds left behind.

"Honestly she was very lucky nothing vital was hit Miss. Xiao Long. Now set her on the operating table, I'll need you to hold down her arms. Miss. Belladonna, the same for her legs. It will not be pleasant for her and I've no doubt the pain will wake her up." Oobleck comments, leading the women into his home and place of business. Already moving around the seeming mess of supplies to grab the tools he'll need as Yang set down her wounded sister.

"Yang what was that? I've never seen Ruby take a shot at anyone before. I know she's usually armed but I never thought I'd see her turn it on a person. Bandit or not." Blake asks setting her hands on the short girls ankles to keep her in place while the Doctor moves to Ruby's wounded side. lifting the young girl's shirt up and exposing her stomach and waist. The hole bleeding sluggishly.

"Oh, well that's good. The bullet is stopping most of the blood flow. Still, best we get her patched up." He comments holding a pair of forceps and nodding to Yang as she leans over Ruby's upper body arms gripping her sister at the shoulders. She winces at the grunt that comes from her sister when alcohol is poured over the hole in her side.

"The Grimm. Same gang that took our parents a few years back. Ruby musta seen somethin' on' em that either reminded her of them or identified them as such. Can't think of any other reason she'd involve herself like this." Yang replies with a sigh. She can tell Blake wants to ask more questions but she doesn't get the chance as Ruby cries out. Her fists clenching and eyes snapping open wide as the doctor slides his forceps into the wound.

"Miss. Rose! Good, you're awake. You've been shot while doing something foolish. I'm removing the bullet. Please do try to hold still or this will be far more complicated and painful than it needs to be." The doctor comments, getting a pained bark of laughter from his patient and a weak chuckle from her older sister.

"Bedside manner needs some work doc. How bad izzit?" She asks lacking any manner of grace or elegance.

So par for the course when dealing with most citizens out west.

"As I said while your sister carried you in Miss Rose. You're very lucky the bullet didn't hit anything vital and blocked up the wound so you haven't lost to much blood. Unfortunately I don't have much in terms of anesthetic until the next shipment makes it's way out here so you're stuck going without while I pull the bullet and suture your wound." The doctor explains, when he moves the forceps again she grunts.

"Dammit! Doc hol' up a moment. Yang, let go of me, I got this." The shorter girl says her voice thick with pain as she reaches into her pocket for a folded knife with a wooden handle she places into her mouth. Next she grabs the sides of the table and looks to the doctor, giving him a nod to continue before screwing her eyes closed, missing the very touching scene of Miss Belladonna comforting her sister. To be fair, she can be forgiven for not focusing on her older sister when her teeth clench, indenting the wood, as a muffled scream is ripped from her throat.

The following moments where difficult. Had they been able to use anesthetic Ruby wouldn't have had any trouble keeping relaxed, but with the pain her muscles spasmed, her body clenched, forcing the doctor to move slowly as he moves the forceps deeper. The table and his hands growing sticky with blood as he carefully probes the wound before, finally, finding the offending object. Slowly pulling it free, leaving a tired and panting woman on the table, the knife loosening from her mouth. Compared to getting the bullet out the suturing was barely uncomfortable.

Ruby is left panting roughly as the bandages are wrapped around her waist before her shirt is lowered again. Thankfully the shirt was red to begin with so it should be fine after she cleans it and patches the hole left by the bullet. With a grunt, she forces herself to her feet before turning to the Doctor. "Thank ya kindly Doc, how much do I owe?" She asks already reaching for the dwindling roll of bills in her pocket, hoping she has enough on her.

"Oh don't worry about that Miss Rose. Your sister has already paid, she was quite insistent." He replies as the muted silver eyes narrow and turn to the unaffected lilacs of her older sister. They continue staring at each other until the short dark haired woman huffs, winces, and starts for the door.

"Where ya runnin' off to now, Ruby? Ya should let me give ya a room until ya heal up." Yang protests, following her little sister out of the doctor's home and office.

"No time for that, I saw it Yang. That woman was from the Grimm gang, she had their mark tattooed on her back plain as day. Now you tell me how tha's possible when the Sheriff told us they were rooted out and sent swingin' by their necks straight to Hell. So tell me, Yang, how they can be back now?" She replies, her feet carrying her towards the Jail house. With one hand on the throbbing, stitched up, hole in her side.

Knowing the Sheriff is dead along side his deputies, Ruby feels not the least bit of guilt about walking right into the empty jail and over to the man's desk ripping the drawers open in search before finding a number of wanted postings meant to be shared with any territory Marshals passing through. Her eyes narrow as she comes across postings with drawn image depicting the woman she had seen and her temper only flares as she goes further along.

_Criminal: Cinder Fall_

_Daughter of Salem Fall. Started up the Grimm Gang shortly after the passing of her mother to territory marshals when she failed to turn herself in peaceably. Wanted all around the territories for crimes including, but not limited to, Murder, Murder of government official, Murder of Law Enforcement, Theft of Property, Kidnapping, Extortion, Theft of cattle, and horse Theft._

_Initially thought deceased when her gang was cleared out following the murder of Taiyang Xiao Long and his wife Summer Rose at the Rose Ranch. However, her body failed to turn up after. Considered at large and extremely dangerous._

_Known previous areas of operation include the city of Vale and the townships surrounding. Previous hideout located in a gorge three day's ride north of Vale. Current whereabouts unknown._

Ruby's eyes narrow as she spins around the paper, creasing it as her grip tightens in rage. Those dull silver orbs coming to life with a terrible vengeance burning behind them before falling once more on Yang who stands at the doorway watching her with clear worry.

"Ruby, what is it? I've never seen ya this worked up." She asks stepping closer to try and calm her little sister with an embrace, only to be brought up short when Ruby shoves the posting against her chest.

"He lied to me! He told me they got'em all Yang. They killed the ones who resisted, rounded up the ones who surrendered and hung tha' lot. They missed tha' most important one and he lied to me about it!" She shouts, seething in anger as she pulls her Peacemaker from its holster. Feeding the revolver bullets before reholstering it. Her eyes hardening into a more familiar cold edge but with determination glinting like polished steel.

"Ruby, what are ya thinkin?" Yang asks nervously, not for herself but for her little sister.

"I'm thinkin' that with the sheriff and his deputies dead we need a new one. And I'm considerin' taking tha' job." She replies while leaving the jail, her boots clomping on the wooden planks as she moves into the road and towards the mayor's office. Her hand pulling up her hood to protect her skin from the radiating sun.

She pushes open the door to the mayor's office, ignoring the exclamation from Goodwitch as she pushes by into Ozpin's office. She shuts the door behind her, trusting Yang to keep Glynda busy. "Mister Mayor, I would like to have words. Now, I need ya to think real careful bout what yer gunna to say because I am angry and in pain. Did ya know the Grimm were still about?" The short woman asks, her hands clenching at her sides as she waits for an answer.

Ozpin sighs, pouring himself some water from a jug before offering some to her which makes her twitch at the delaying tactic. He takes a slow sip before sitting back down and looking at her over his glasses. "Miss Rose, what difference does it make now? Yes, I knew that she was alive. But at the time we felt you needed the reassurance that your parents murderers met their justice. And for the most part, this was the case. We had no way of knowing Fall would make any attempt to rebuild, let alone succeed in the task. But what I want to know Miss Rose is, now that you are aware she is alive and has rebuilt, what do you intend to do about it?"

The question sounds rhetorical. And indeed, Ruby has no doubt that he knows exactly what her intention is at this point. Still, he seems to be waiting for her to say the words and she's only too happy to oblige. "I'm gunna go after her. An' this time she won't be gettin' away. Town needs a Sheriff right?" Comes the determined reply, the dark tone drawing an audible sigh from the mayor as he takes a long swallow before clearing his throat.

"Unfortunately we do. However, with what has just happened, whoever I hire for the position will be required to stay in town. We can't afford to be left defenseless after what just transpired." He replies, his eyes never leaving the short woman in front of him.

"Ya realize tha's not gunna stop me." She says heatedly.

"Yes, I do realize this. Which is why I suggest you wait for a territory marshall to arrive. They will likely be forming a posse to go after the criminals with such a high value person for a hostage." He replies while holding up a hand to stop a retort. "I understand that you're unlikely to do so. Before you run off. Have you ever considered becoming a bounty hunter Miss Rose?" He asks, which draws Ruby up short, her eyes narrowing.

Bounty hunters did not have a good reputation. Usually vigilantes that failed to make it into the marshall service for one reason or another. Instead of bringing criminals to the judge for trial, they tend to pick up wanted ads on criminals and either drag them to the poster or bring back proof of their demise. The really bad ones would take bounties from private individuals and end up hunting down innocents and bringing them to their rich tormentors. Of course, by the time the hunter has gotten back with the bounty, the posting has been made legal by processing it with the proper authorities.

It had been especially bad leading up to around a decade before, when they primarily focused on runaway slaves. There had been a celebration in the Rose home when Taiyang had gotten word that the thirteenth amendment had been ratified and the practice was made illegal.

"Why would I ever consider doin' that?" Ruby questions after shaking her head free of unwanted memories. Now was not the time to reminisce on happier days. Now was the time to get her vengeance on the people who took those happy days away.

"Because Miss Rose. The town of Beacon has posted a wanted ad as of a few hours ago for the leader of the notorious Grimm Gang and the safe return of Miss Schnee. The second part of course being the priority here. Let me make this clear. If you take this posting no law man can say two words about you hunting them down. However, your primary responsibility will be the safe return of the heiress. You take this, and it comes down to choosing between the hostage and your vengeance, you'll have to choose the hostage. Do you think you can do that Miss Rose?" He asks with his own eyes narrowing as Ruby's hard edge softens a small amount in contemplation.

Slowly, she nods. "Alright, I'll take it, but I won't like it." She admits. Less so the job than the stigma attached to the title. She would be more than happy to rescue the young woman given half the chance. Still, as far as legality goes, vigilantism would see her hanging right next to her target and that isn't something she's willing to put her older sister through.

"Very well, come by tomorrow morning. We'll have a posting made up so you can answer any questions from law enforcement. My suggestion is to make your first stop in Vale. Her gang had a disturbing hold over the city up until her gang was dealt with. I would not be surprised to find out that it is once again the case." Her offers before waving toward the door. A polite dismissal but still one nevertheless, and one she takes, opening the door and nearly running into Yang's back as she stands with her back to the door grinning widely at a fuming Glynda.

"Well, much as I'd like ta' stick around and jaw with ya Miss Goodwitch seems mah sister's ready to make tracks. Still, come on by if ya ever need ta' relax. I'm sure tha' girls wouldn't mind providing ya some comfort. Even throw in a discount for yer first time." She offers with a smile, just a little condescending. Yang was a woman of her word. If Glynda ever did come by for that purpose, Yang would keep to it. But everyone in the town knows full well the uptight woman never would. Not that any of them would judge her for it. No one looked twice at Ruby after her first time in the arms of the lovely May.

Still, watching the two blondes winding each other up isn't something the shorter woman has an interest in, so after ducking under Yang's elbow, wincing at the movement, she makes her way out the door. Her lip twitching when she hears Yang give a shout of surprise before the heavy boot treads follow her out.

"Ruby! Where are ya going? Ya should be getting in a bed. Seriously, take one of my rooms for a few days at least. I'm sure one of the girls wouldn't mind tending to yer cows while yer laid up. Consarn it Ruby! At least talk to me!" She shouts getting Ruby to stop with a sigh. The revelations and directions having drained her emotionally already, and when combined with the weariness from her bullet wound have left her with the urge to just curl up and sleep for a time. But there was something she needed to do.

"Yang, I'm just headin' home. Then I'll get some sleep." She offers hoping to dodge the discussion entirely.

"An' what will ya do when ya wake up, huh?" Yang asks not missing the irritated click of Ruby's tongue.

"Ya know what I'm gunna do. I'm gunna go after them. I took a job as a bounty hunter just for it, tried for Sheriff like I said but Ozpin said that would keep me here. I won't be stuck here waiting for a Marshall to come through that might do somethin' bout it. I'm goin' after her and I'll make sure this time she goes down permanent-like. Now, ya wanna help me? Get me a saddle bag with water and vittles for the road. I'm hittin the road 'round noon in the morrow. Sendin' a girl around to help out while I'm gone would be appreciated too." She replies through gritted teeth, those tired eyes reigniting with her determination to make her words reality. As far as the short woman is concerned, Cinder Fall has been living on borrowed time for years, and it's about time the reaper collected his due.

"Fine, I know I can't stop ya. Just you make sure to come back. I don't care if she's alive, dead, or ya've joined up with her gang. I only got ya left in tha' world sis' an' I damn well plan on keepin ya around. Ya hear me? Damn the heiress, damn the gang, damn the town and the ranch. None of it means piss to me without ya." Yang proclaims, wrapping two strong arms around Ruby's shoulders pulling the shorter girl backwards into the embrace.

The emotion in her sister's voice bites and chips away at Ruby's cold and hardened heart, letting her relax into the hug for a few precious moments with her eyes closed. "Yeah, alright Yang. I'll make sure I come back. So long as ya promise to keep somethin' expensive waitin' behind the bar fer me." She replies, getting a weak laugh from Yang, she feels the older woman nodding in reply. The hug is held for some time before it's broken slowly and Ruby heads over to Dahlia. Bracing herself as she wraps her hands on the saddle before pulling herself up, grunting as it irritates her wound. She can see Yang biting her tongue to keep from trying to demand she get down and take a bed, giving her sister a rare smile before urging the horse into a smooth canter out of town.

Miss Rose was thanking the Lord near a half hour later as she drew nearer to her home. She was bush whacked and it was taking all she had just to remain awake in her saddle. So she was more than happy when she lead her horse into the stable and took the extra moment to remove the saddle.

She would clean out the bags in the morning, there were just a few things she felt needed to be taken care of before she could finally lie down. She removes one of the rolled sticks of tobacco from the crumpled box and tries to light it before glaring at her lighter, recalling already that it failed to work that morning as well. A click of her tongue has her pocketing the lighter and sticking the cigarette behind her ear as she gets feed and water for her horse, makes sure her cows are situated and grabs a packet of folded cloth from her saddlebag along with the rifle.

The rest could stand to wait for morning.

She leans the rifle up against the side of the ranch house right next to her front door on her way around to the other side. Her destination laying at the foot of a tall tree nearby. And what an odd thing that was. Looking around, far as the eye can see there's grass aplenty, rose bushes growing in thick clumps nearby, reeds and weeds all over. But only one tree. It's wide trunk stretching up as it's branches spread out in all directions. During the spring and summer it provides plenty of shade, but as autumn is setting in, its leaves color and fall before being swept away by the wind. She looks at the thorny rose bushes and pauses to pick a late flower, her eyes watching the vibrant petals as it twirls slowly between her fingers.

Ruby closes her eyes a long moment before letting the flower fall and heading to the last thing marking this part of her land as special. The pair of crosses hammered deep into the earth. Names and dates carved into the wood tell of the husband and wife laying together in the soft earth beneath.

The short woman kneels between the crosses, her cloak catching in the breeze, fluttering as petals from wilted roses slip away to twirl and twist along her skin and clothing. Gently she sets down the cloth she was holding and uses her hands to dig two small holes in the graves. Gently she opens the cloth and removes the two bricks of chocolate she took from herself and Yang, placing them in the holes and covering them up.

"Jus' like always, right Daddy? I know ya wouldn't want me riskin' myself like this, but she's done hurt far too many families… Who am I kiddin'." Ruby says, berating herself quietly. "Sorry, I know you two don't like hearin' tall tales. Fact is, I jus' wanna get her back for makin me bury you here. Yang would come if I gave her half a chance so of course I'm not gunna. She tries and I'll lick her butt good. I'm all too cold now anyways. Dunno how she did it, gettin' her warmth back like she did, but I'm sorry I wasn't as strong as her. I figure if one of us is gunna go, it ought ta' be me. World'd be a darker place without Yang in it. Still made me promise to come back though." Ruby says shaking her head, her eyes closed trying to keep them from watering up.

"I know, I shouldn't have made it. Never make a promise you ain't sure ya can keep. Ya taught us that one good Daddy." She speaks, her eyes trailing over to Summer's marker. "Sorry Ma, I know you're probably worried sick for me out here alone still. Everyone keeps tellin' me ta' make a go of it with May. And I'd be lyin if I said I wasn't tempted. But like I told her, she deserves better than my cold and anger. Maybe I'll get better after this. We'll see, but I promise to at least try and move onward after all this is over with, if I'm still alive and kickin'. " She says, scowling as she opens her eyes and feels the tears race along her cheeks carving rivulets along dusty skin.

Wiping her face with the edge of her cloak she has a thought and smiles. "I learned somethin' today, y'all probably already know from watchin' after us, but Yang's got it somethin' bad for the school teacher, Miss Belladonna. Guess we get our skirt chasin from Daddy. Still, shoulda seen her at the town gatherin' before thin's went all wrong. I'm not sure if the teacher's noticed or not either. I'll give her a push when I get back. Oh yeah, I'm even goin' after'em bastards legally. As a bounty hunter though. One job, just haulin' her back to town or puttin' a round 'tween her eyes. One way or th'other she ain't seein winter." Ruby promises, pushing off her knees to stand up again, giving the grave markers one last look. "I'm gunna head on inside. Real tired-like and I need to rest up for tomorrow. I'll see ya again soon." She says, uncertain what capacity that may end up being.

She opens the door and grabs her rifle before heading inside the quiet building. She had a dog for a while but the little guy was too brave for his own good. Tussled with a prairie fox and even though her little guy won he was hurtin' after. Managed alright for a few months after before he couldn't get around anymore. It was when he stopped eating entirely that Ruby finally put the poor boy down. She considered getting another, but, couldn't find it in her to replace her little man.

First thing's first. She sets her rifle down on the dinner table before removing her gun belt and leaving it with them. Slipping her smoke between her lips she moves into her kitchen and lights it with a match before opening the lighter and pulling out the internal bit fo she can refill it with fuel before closing it up and shaking it vigorously. With a long slow inhale she lets the smoke burn its way into her lungs before exhaling in one long, acrid plume.

She takes down a glass and looks at the cheap bottle of whiskey sitting on the shelf. She ponders it before sighing and leaving it for the moment and grabbing a pitcher of water instead. Her hand reaching for her bread box. Might as well eat something even if it isn't much.

Fed and watered, she puts out the spent nub of her smoke and heads for her bedroom. First she unties and removes her cloak, carefully folding it before setting it on an old wooden dresser. Next, her arms pull up on her shirt to move it over her head wincing as she does so. After she pokes her finger through the bullet hole after as she eyes the stained fabric. With a sigh she sets it aside, she'll have to wash it before she leaves. Mending however will have to wait until she has more time. Carefully, she lowers herself to her bed, bracing herself against the frame before settling in with a soft grunt and lifting her feet to yank off her boots, letting them fall to the floor before giving her pants a glance and shrugging as she wiggles free of them and sliding her bare legs under her covers.

Sleep however decided to be a coy mistress this night as she teases the short woman from a window out of reach. The last of the sun's dying light filtering through her window is probably not helping matters.

She shifts and suddenly stills, her eyes opening wide. The sound of feet on dirt reaches her ears and she looks down at herself and groans. Naked, in her bed, alone in her home. And her guns are still on the dining table. She frowns reaching under her pillow for a knife. She sets it on her pillow as she pulls herself back into her pants before grabbing it leaving her upper body exposed as she takes light steps back outside to her living room. Her eyes narrowed as she makes a quiet beeline to the table holding her weapons. With a lunge she lets go of her knife and pulls the Peacemaker from its holster, her thumb pulling the hammer back as she turns around.

"Somebody is jumpy this evening." A voice so smooth you can hear the smirk behind it comments.

Ruby jumps and spins, her Peacemaker honing in on the voice before stopping, her finger frozen on the trigger before she finally stops herself.

"Dammit Fox. I almost put holes in ya, tha' hell ya doin' sneakin' into my house?" She demands, gently lowering the hammer on the gun as she moves it away from her friend. Her eyes narrowed but she doesn't bother trying to cover her chest. Ruby wasn't shy about her body but more to the point, Fox is blind.

"I didn't know I was sneaking. The sun has yet to fall, or so my companion tells me." He replies in his usual slow speech. Like most natives, he learned English as a second language, and even after years of practice he still tends to speak slowly. He was her best friend amongst the tribe. Likely, her best friend in the world considering how little time she spent in town both before and after she inherited the ranch.

"Companion, huh? Who's with ya this time?" She asks trying not to sound too eager.

It's really eerie how well he does when it comes to zeroing in on her voice. Her face set in a deadpan expression. "It is not my sister, stop flirting with her." He says earning him a roll of the eyes from the short woman.

"Hey, it's not my fault we shared that kiss, she started it and she's damn gorgeous. Can ya blame me for wantin' a repeat?" Ruby asks while heading into her kitchen to prepare something to eat. It wouldn't be much, but, if there was one thing that would always be found at the Rose Ranch, it was hospitality.

"Ruby, she was drunk." He says with exasperation, the tone speaking of an argument had many times before with his obstinate friend.

"I was drunk," she clarified, "She was tipsy at best. Drank maybe half as much as I did and she's taller to boot. Nah, she's just nervous cause the attention she got after from the rest of the tribe. If she's really not interested in a roll in the hay tha's fine. I'll stop if it's makin' her uncomfortable though." Ruby relents before moving the weak stew into a few bowls and spreading them around the dining table before moving her gun belt and rifle into the bedroom. Fox's companion must have been nearby, because when she returns they're both at her table eating quietly.

"So, what'cha come out for? Normally it's me making my way out to the tribe not the other way around. Not that'cha ain't welcome, but I am curious. Winter ain't hit yet after all. The Chief finally willin' ta accept stayin' here during it?" Ruby asks, he shakes his head.

"Unfortunately not this year, though I do think it's becoming more likely. This year he's moving us closer and my sister and I are close to convincing him to let you take in our elders. The cold is not kind on old bones. I'm actually just checking in on you. You haven't been out to the tribe in awhile. I was starting to become worried something happened. That, or you finally stopped wanting the red dye. I brought some with me, I left it in a jar near the door." He adds getting a small smile from Ruby, not that he can see it.

"It's a step closer. I really don't mind, I got plenty of space here an I don't use half of it. Now, who's yer friend." She asks nodding her head towards Fox's companion. Who looked rather uncomfortable and uncertain. His eyes occasionally wandering over her pale skin and the lack of modesty she's showing.

"Sleeping Dog, and unfortunately he doesn't know your language." Fox replies before speaking to him for Ruby. She suspects he added something as well because her unknown guest relaxed in his chair looking more comfortable than he had before.

"Well, you an' him can stay tha' night. Or for tha' next few days if yer inclined. I'm headin out for a few days in the mornin. Might be nice to know someone's here looking after things." She responds, gathering her bowl and washing it out with a little rain water before setting it to dry on the table. "As nice as it is ta see ya again Fox, I'm beat and I'm headin to bed. Show'em to the guest rooms if'n ya decide to stay. An thanks for comin' out. We can catch up in tha' mornin' if yer still about."

She hears a soft acknowledgement from her friend as she grabs her weapons and takes them with her into her bedroom. The knife returning to its place under her pillow, gun in its holster on her night stand with the rifle against the wall next to it. Sleep doesn't take as long this time around once she gets comfortable. Good thing too, if she's right then she will need all the rest she can get while she can get it.


	3. Friends, Family, and Felons

Beta read by: Crescent Sunrise

**Chapter 3: Friends, Family, and Felons  
**

Ruby was up and getting ready as soon as the sun came up the next morning. Her saddlebags packed and ready as she came in greeting Fox and his companion softly before sitting down at the table and starting in on the food prepared by her slightly older friend. Silence covered the room as they ate until Fox broke it with his usual soft and calm voice.

"You said you were heading out for a few days today Ruby. May I ask where you're heading?" He starts while Sleeping Dog shifts uncomfortably, can't be easy taking in someone's hospitality when you have no idea what's being said by either your companion or your host.

"Ya can ask." Ruby states with a flat tone, her eyes on her food. There's a pause before she sighs and just answers before he can ask again. "I'm headin' to Vale. Cinder an' her gang came into town yesterday an' killed off the law before runnin' off with a hostage. I'm gunna track her down an' put her six feet down where she belongs. Even gunna do it all nice an' legal-like. Fer the next few days I'm workin' as a bounty hunter on behalf of the good people of Patch."

"What about the hostage?" He asks quietly. The stiffness to his shoulders and the frown on his lips telling her all she needs to know about his opinion on her going after Cinder, but unlike Yang, he won't try and stop her. He knows that each person has things in life that, while it might seem to an outsider like they have a choice, to the person themselves, there really wasn't one to be made. And he knew the name Cinder. He knew Ruby. And he knew there was nothing anyone could say to steer his closest friend from the path she was going down.

"She's the priority, even if I can't get at Cinder I have to rescue her. Bounty is dependant on her return to the town. Some big city girl checkin out the town for a rail station. I didn't like it, but the alternative was chasin 'er down as a vigilante and tha'd put me at odds with every lawman 'tween here and her. Not to mention afterwards. I might be full'a wrath an' rage but I'm not willin' to risk the ranch." She admits, disgruntled at the thought. She would rather walk in there, guns loaded and looking for vengeance than have to worry about a hostage, but she'd already agreed to prioritize the rich girl, even if it was under protest. Her hands putting a smoke between her lips and lighting it before offering one first to Sleeping Dog and Fox. Dog sniffs it for a moment before shaking his head even as Fox accepts his and waits for Ruby to light it for him.

Her friend nods his head after taking a long puff from the tar stick. "It's makes sense. The town is more worried about getting the girl back than about revenge for her actions. The lawmen are dead and their livelihood is now in question. For them, the priority is easy to understand." He notes verbally even as Ruby grimaces. It's true, without the station, the best the town could hope for would be a few travellers who wouldn't have been able to afford the train anyway. Patch was dying a slow death. Only the serious ranchers kept it afloat at this point, and losing the Rose Ranch as a major point of income had hit the town hard.

She had considered hiring on a few hands and getting the place built back up to how it was before, but the idea of filling her parents home with strangers always made her balk. Hypocritical as it was considering that's exactly how her father had met her mother to begin with.

Maybe she would feel better about it after she put Cinder to rest. Or she could always ask the Chief if he could spare a few workers to help fix the place up in exchange for housing during the winter months. Might make him a little more agreeable to the idea. She would float the idea to Fox when she got back.

"Ya'll gunna stick 'round awhile? Yang ought to be comin' over sometime soon to make sure I didn't forget to do anythin' before headin' out." She asks while shouldering her rifle and checking the chambers of her Peacemaker before holstering it at her waist.

"I don't mind watching the place a few days. I'll send Sleeping Dog back to the tribe to inform father what I'm up to so he won't worry." He says, getting Ruby to roll her eyes at the joke as she heads out the door and over to Dahlia. She steps up and throws her legs over the saddle before pulling herself up and holstering the rifle in the saddle holster. She casts one last, long look over the ranch before her expression hardens, eyes narrowing as she looks away and turns her horse, heading away at a canter.

It would be seven days travel for Ruby to reach Vale. But in the meantime, Patch had a welcome visitor appear just a day behind her departure.

* * *

Territory Marshall Nikos arrives in Patch while passing through on her way elsewhere, intending on introducing herself to the lawmen of the town before resupplying and moving onto the next town. Most would just have letters sent out, but Pyrrha was of the polite sort. Preferring to make her introductions in person, she was just heading into town when she noticed most of the people dressed in black. It wasn't Sunday so it was unlikely they were doing so because of church letting out. Besides, she would have heard the bells ringing on her approach.

Which left a funeral, and judging by the turnout, the person was well loved. With a solemn frown she closes her eyes, giving a prayer for the departed before heading for the town lockup, only to find it empty. Funeral or not, it was sloppy not to leave at least someone watching the jail in case of an emergency. She turns and heads to the Mayor's office. Catching up to him and his aide just as they are returning to the building. She doesn't comment as he looks her over, his eyes lingering on her badge before motioning her in.

Once in his office he pours water for himself and her before seating himself at his desk, hands folded over his cane. "Well then Marshall…" He trails off inviting her to fill in the gap herself.

"Nikos, I am Territory Marshall Pyrrha Nikos. I'm looking for your Sheriff but I couldn't find him or any of his deputies in the jailhouse." She comments, getting straight to the point of her coming to him hoping not to take too much of the Mayor's time if she can help it. "I was hoping you could point me in his direction?"

"I'm afraid the only place to point to would be the graveyard. But you won't find him there Miss without a shovel. We had to bury the Sheriff and his deputies today. The Grimm Gang arrived in town a few days ago, interrupting the celebration we were hosting for the young Miss Schnee. They killed the Sheriff and his three deputies in cold blood before taking the heiress and riding off. Only one person gave chase, and I suspect it was for more personal reasons than justice." He explains looking at her over his glasses at the woman in front of him standing in shock for a moment before shaking her head with a grimace.

"You said they have a hostage? They will milk her for what they can get before killing her. Ruthless bandits the whole lot of them. They have a strangle hold on Vale currently. We suspect the lawmen there are taking bribes to look the other way but nothing has been proven, of course." She mentions, frowning and tapping her foot on the ground. Noting the way he tenses at the mention of Vale she looks at him with a curious eye. "Something the matter beyond the obvious, Mayor?"

"Please, call me Ozpin. It's just… The person who went after them. A young woman by the name of Ruby Rose rode out a few days ago looking for revenge, but not for the Sheriff. The Grimm Gang took her family from her before they were brought low last time. She's protected legally by temporarily working as a bounty hunter to rescue Miss Schnee. However, I know she will likely make Vale her first destination. If what you say is true, she is riding into the lion's den without any idea that it's awake and hungry." He explains, his hands worrying over his cane. Despite how much animosity he knew existed between his aide and the sisters, mostly over what Glynda saw as an immoral trade by the elder sister and the support the younger shows for it, even going so far as to frequent Yang's establishment. He still worried over the pair, it didn't matter what they did to get by. They brought happiness to the town, everyone wanted to see Ruby smile again, remembering how she was as a young girl, himself included. He suspected Glynda as well, though she would never admit to it.

"I know you are probably busy enough as is, Miss Nikos, but if you could go after her… It's unlikely you'll be able to catch her, but if you can at least bring word back should the worst happen…" He asks letting himself be silenced by her hand as she shakes her head.

"You don't have to ask Mayor, I was already planning on pursuing her and the criminal in question. I'll do my best to bring her and the hostage back safe and sound." She says before looking him in the eye again. "Was there is nothing else, I'll need some supplies for the ride, then I'll be on my way."

"Tell the man at the general store what you're about to do. He should help as much as he can. Tell him to bill my office for the costs. Thank you Marshall, this town will always be grateful for your assistance." Ozpin states relaxing back in his chair, his worried countenance drawing lines across his face.

"Think nothing of it Sir, it's my job after all. Though I do hope there won't be an issue when I try to bring her in. She'll hang, but the judge is not a fan of criminals brought in deceased before they can stand trial. Pay might not be great for it, but you get nothing for a dead body. More to the point I'll have to pay for her casket." she says in passing.

A sigh leaves her lips as she get's outside. From the story she just got about the young Miss Rose, there was no question how Cinder would end up if it's left up the the temporary bounty hunter. Honestly, she can understand it. Hopefully the young girl won't even give her a chance to interfere.

Eyes narrow then as she sets herself to her new task, stopping by the post office to send a missive to the judge in order to keep him informed of the events transpiring. Hopefully he won't be too disappointed by the end result. Judge Ironwood was a stickler for the rules, sometimes to the expense of his most honest Marshalls who tried to follow the law to the letter.

* * *

Ruby's lips are a thin line of distaste as she enters the city of Vale, one hand resting near her revolver as she moves down the main street. Her eyes wary as they move from one side of the street to the next. The clop of Dahlia's hooves on cobblestone lost amidst the sounds of the city. Shouting drunks and men catcalling to tittering whores. Glancing at them makes Ruby feel a sickening turn in her stomach. These are the type of women that Goodwitch is always comparing Yang's girls to. The thought makes her blood boil.

Still, she moves on, she'll have to find a place to stay the night after she's done restocking and looking around. She's not liking her options. The idea to restock and push through the city and sleep outside on the outskirts rears it's head but she shakes it off. This close to the city, she's likely to catch a bullet from some thief looking to steal her guns and horse, and riding through the night will only make her tired when she'll need to be at her sharpest.

When she finally found a place she wouldn't object to, she dismounted and took her reigns, tying Dahlia off at a gas lamp outside before heading in. Thankfully there were windows in the front so she could see her horse just in case. It was still legal to shoot a horse thief if caught in the act. Probably a more merciful end than the potential thief would find at the gallows too.

As Ruby enters the store she cocks her head, noting that there's no one behind the counter or anywhere in the store she can see. It isn't until she hears a feminine voice in the back room shouting in rage that she understands why. Her Peacemaker is in her hand before she can even think about what she's about to do.

"Get yer hands offa' me 'fore I break yer legs!" The voice calls and Ruby rushes around the counter before planting her boot in the door. Roughly shoving it open so it slams into the wall with a bang, followed by the short girl in red, gun out and looking for a target. There are three, two holding a girl shorter still than Ruby herself by the arms, while a third towers over her. Or he was until the crashing of the door send him spinning around only to stare at the six shooter leveled at his head.

"Now, I may be a simple girl, but I think I can see when somthin' ain't right." Ruby states simply. "An' one girl alone in a room bein' held down by two men in front of a third? That strikes me as all kinds a wrong." She finishes, her eyes narrowing as the hammer on her pistol is drawn back.

"Look girl, you don't know what you're seein' here. We run this city now, and that means we can take what we want, when we want." The lone man says, his face twisting into a sneer as his hand moves towards his waist.

The motion isn't missed and Ruby puts a bullet in his arm before turning to the other two, intent to stop them from repeating the gesture only to blink in surprise as the shorter girl breaks their grip on her arms kneeing one in the groin before rocking the second back with a blow to the jaw. He goes down and doesn't get back up. Amidst it all, the first man starts howling in pain as he falls to the ground spitting curses and grabbing his arm.

"The fuck! You shot me you crazy bitch! I'll end you whore, when word gets out about this you won't be run outta town, you'll be handed over to the gang as an example." He snarls, pushing himself back until he's against the wall keeping his hand well away from the pistol at his waist this time as he cradles the wounded limb. His eyes cut to Nora and he addresses her next. "And you'll be joining her. Don't think for a minute that quiet guy you run with will pull you outta this one." He says, spitting at her feet as he tries to push himself up to his feet. But Ruby was still stuck on one of the first things he said.

She takes a few steps before grabbing his arm right where her bullet punched through, making him howl again before taking a wild swing. The shorter girl ducking under the arm before whipping his head with the butt of her Peacemaker before pushing him against the wall, the barrel of the revolver pressing into his temple as the hammer is drawn back again. His head wobbles a moment in a daze before he registers the weapon and stills, gulping audibly as the suddenly very angry little woman in front of him glares him down. Her words coming in a rough hiss.

"What gang are you talking about?" She asks pushing, the barrel harder as both he and the shorter girl in the room blink at her in surprise. Common knowledge then.

"You… You really don't know? Oh girl you are extra fucked. The Grimm Gang, we run this town. Have since Cinder started rebuilding after her mom went below snakes. Lawmen here ain't gunna side with you no how. Not after you've hurt us like this. Message gotta be sent." He says, reaching with his good hand to his sleeve pulling it up to expose branded skin on his forearm marking him as one of the gang. That same symbol that Ruby still sees in her nightmares.

The smug grin on his face does nothing to sooth the icy rage Ruby finds herself in as she's confronted with that mark again. She growls and his eyes go wide in surprise when he doesn't notice a lick of fear on her, his mouth opens to say something but he never gets the chance as her gun fires and he drops. She immediately turns and puts matching holes in the other two before opening the latch and turning the cylinder, ejecting the spent brass one by one before replacing the four empty places with fresh bullets from her belt.

Finally she turns to the shell shocked girl and blinks, the realization that the woman just saw her gun down three relatively defenseless men in cold anger. She sighs and does her best to at least make sure the girl is alright as she holsters her revolver and offers her hand. "Ya alrigh' ma'am?" She asks politely.

The tone seems to shock the shorter girl with oddly orange hair and sky blue eyes out of her inactivity, she carefully looks around, grimacing at the corpses in the the room around her. "Better than I woulda' been if'n you hadn't showed up. Didn't have to kill'em you know? We'll have to hide'em now till I can get a cart round back tomorrow and take'em out of the city." She states, shaking her head as she grabs one by the arm pulling him to a corner of the room behind some barrels before Ruby moves to do the same, wincing as she agitates her wound. It was healing okay but it still bothered her when she moved wrong, and likely would for some time.

She hears a tongue click in annoyance before the shorter girl shoulders her out of the way dragging the next man back to join the one before. Ruby looks at the first man she killed and feels a sickness rising in her gut. Sure, she'd come out intending to end lives, but this one hadn't been able to defend himself after she first shot him. That wasn't vengeance, it was just murder. The fact he had likely planned on violating the other woman, would have killed her given half the chance or even that he belonged to the gang that killed her family were cold comforts at best. They felt like such little things when weighed against the knowledge that with her actions, Ruby had officially become a killer.

Spotting a door, Ruby stumbles over to it and opens it stumbling outside into the fresh air of twilight. Well… fresh is a matter of opinion. It smelt of shit, piss and all manner of filth in the wide alley she found herself in. But it was less suffocating than back in the room where Ruby, the cold young woman became Ruby the killer. She gags and doubles over, vomiting her lunch onto the alley, adding half digested beans and salted meat to the pungent aroma of the area. She spends some time dry heaving before a small hand presses against her lower back, rubbing gently there in a soothing circle.

It takes her a moment to get herself under control enough to stand up straight and turn around, facing the young woman looking at her with concern. "Ain't never killed no one before have ya?" She asks, leading Ruby back inside closing the door and locking it before heading back to the front of the store, sitting Ruby in a chair behind the counter. When Ruby shakes her head the woman sighs. "I, figured when I saw ya starting to look sick. Look, I can't tell ya it was right or wrong. I can tell ya that if it weren't you killin' em, it would have likely been Ren after the fact. As it is ya came in with a rescue I sorely needed so ya got my thanks. Ya gunna be in town long?"

Ruby shakes her head again before drinking from a cup handed to her. Washing down the taste lingering in her mouth before she responds. "No, I'm jus' passin' through. Was lookin' fer a place to get some supplies an' then a place fer the night. This was the firs' place looked worth my time." She replies, remembering her horse and looking outside, relieved to see her looking unperturbed and her bags unmolested.

The woman gives her a long look before offering her hand. "Name's Nora, husband an' I run this store. Now, I know I owe ya. Fer the help, an I'd like ta jus' give ya what ya need, but the store ain't doin good enough fer that. We can put ya up fer the night though an get some food in ya." She offers, taking Ruby aback for a moment at the show of hospitality before she nods her head in acceptance and starts making her way around the store, grabbing enough food to last her and another a few days more than she thinks they'll need. As good of time as she's making getting to Cinder, she has no illusions that Dahlia will do nearly as well with an extra rider along with the supplies. Which means more supplies. She had no plans on coming back to this city if she could help it.

Her bags filled and bullets replaced, a surplus gained from the belts on the outlaws in the back room, she watches Nora close up shop and leads Dahlia by the reigns after her host for the night.

A small stable takes Dahlia in for the night as Ruby grabs her saddle from her horse's back before continuing to Nora's home on foot. The short shopkeep motions for her to wait a moment outside before heading in herself.

While waiting, Ruby looks at the place and then down the street in both directions. With the sun having dipped below the horizon most people have moved their activities indoors. Leaving the street relatively calm and empty. If it weren't for the smell and the light she could close her eyes and pretend she were back home…

But she isn't, and if she's being honest with herself, there's a very real chance she'll never make it back at all. She knew it, the Mayor knew it, and her sister knew it. Good chance the Sheriff knew it too and that's why he never told her about Cinder to begin with.

Fortunately before her thoughts could turn more morbid the door happens and a man with long black hair. Tied in a traditional tail down his back that Ruby recognized as coming from China. One of the things her father mentioned was the tradition to avoid cutting your hair as a show of respect towards your elders. A philosopher in the country said 'Your body and your hair are given to you by your parents, you shouldn't damage it' or at least something to that effect. Respect for your elders being a cornerstone of society in China it was common for some to go their whole lives without cutting their hair. Still, it was rare to see here in the far west. It stood out on men, making most feel uncomfortable enough that they would cut it to fit in better. Seeing him upholding a tradition like that speaks well to his character and earns him an approving look. It's still cold but Ruby had mostly forgotten how to be warm around strangers. Only her sister, Fox, or May got to see it much these days.

He looks her over a long moment his eyes lingering on her weapons before motioning her in. Holding the door until she's inside before closing it and locking it for the night. "Nora told me what you did. I… appreciate you giving her your help." He says in pausing English. The sign of someone learning a language as he pauses his speech to think what he wants to say in his head before looking for the words in English and then saying them.

" _Would it help if I spoke in a more familiar language?"_ Ruby asks in Mandarin, likely butchering the language herself, being several years out of practice. Still, it seems she spoke well enough because he looks at her in shock before giving her a long appraising look. Likely paying closer attention to detail than before asking tentatively.

" _Hàn Rén?"_ He asks meaning roughly 'people of Han'. Common for those living in eastern China. He was really asking if she came from the coast like Shanghai or a smaller port town. A place it was more likely her mother or father was an western sailor.

In answer she shrugs before deciding to explain at length. " _Close, Father was from Beijing. He came to the Americas for rail work. Married my mother here, made sure me and my sister knew the language."_ She answers leaving an annoyed Nora watching the pair of them not understanding a lick of the words leaving their lips. When she loudly clears her throat, Ren looks over at her sheepishly while Ruby can't help the flash of amusement crossing her own features.

"Ah, sorry Nora. She was just telling me that her father taught her and her sister Mandarin." He explains getting the short woman to nod in understanding. Before she looks at the quizzically.

"Mandarin?"

Ruby chuckles at that as Ren sighs before making his way to another room in the house leaving Ruby to explain for him. "He's jus' saying I can speak Chinese. They don't call their language by their country."

The Chinese don't call themselves chinese either but that's neither here nor there and irrelevant to the conversation. Still, she now understood why the bandit back at the store referred to Ren as 'that quiet guy'. Having to constantly think about what he wants to say before saying it likely makes him take longer when responding. Besides, Nora looks like the type to talk enough for the both of them. Not that he ever looks at her with anything but fondness. That's when Ruby notices Nora is missing something important from her hands. She's not wearing a ring.

"Didn't ya say ya'll was hitched?" Ruby asks, giving Nora a scrutinizing look before glancing meaningfully at Nora's hand. She's surprised however when the shorter girl leaps at her, covering her mouth before shooting looks at the door Ren had just disappeared through. When nothing comes from it she lets out a relieved sigh before looking back at a now glaring Ruby and chuckling nervously.

She sighs, removing her hand and backing off before casting a look at the door again. "Wishful thinkin' I guess… He'll ask one day I'm sure of it." She says half certain half wistful before continuing on. "What about you? Ya got a guy caught yer eye?" She asks, blinking at the snort of amusement from the red cloaked woman.

"I tend to angle more towards the women folk. An no, not really. There's one I'da considered way back when, but I'm too cold for her to keep warm for the rest of our lives. Eventually I woulda' dragged her down. And she's far too good a person for me ta do that to." She says, using the same excuse she always gave Yang, hiding the fact of how uncomfortable she is with the idea of getting on with a girl who's seen her at some of the lowest points in her life. May was a patch over an old wound. She treated it, covered it, and cleaned it whenever it began to fester. May was a dear friend, closer to Ruby than anyone save her sister, but try as she might, she never could heal that ragged, gaping hole. And that's what Ruby needed.

She doubted she would ever find someone that could.

That fact that Ruby tended towards the ladies didn't bat an eye from her friendly hostess. And why would it? This was the West, and same gender politics were left to the preachers. It was all too common for men to sleep with each other and not a single person would point to them and claim they're queer for it. Doing so was likely to earn you a beating, if not a bullet, not that it mattered. People took comfort when and where they could. If it was in the arms of the same sex then that was their own business.

"Didn't even give her a chance did'ya?" Nora probes only to flinch back at the glare that is sent her way, hands held up defensively. "Alrigh' alrigh' forget I asked. Lookin at me like that's jus' scary. Change'a subject then, where ya from?" She asks instead heading to the table as Ren emerges from the other room Ruby guesses as being their kitchen setting out food at the table. Ruby stays silent until he's done and takes a seat himself.

"I'm from 'round Patch, a small ranch just outside of town to be exact." She says before starting in on her food ravenously. It smelled good and tasted better. She had been half tempted to interrupt what she was saying to start eating when she first caught the scent, but that would have been just plain rude in the face of their hospitality. When she manages to slow herself down to a more decent pace she leans away from her food, ignoring the amused looks on their faces. "Ya'll should come by some time. It's a nice little town. Only about a week's ride out from here, my home's got the room too an' it'll be open to ya."

They finish the meal in small talk before Ruby was shown to a small side room with only a bed and night stand. More than enough for her, and better than the ground with her saddle for a pillow. Her sleep would be fitful, seeing that man's eyes staring back at her as the light fades from them. His body slumping, and knowing she pulled the trigger. And she planned on ending even more before she was done.

* * *

Cinder growls as she pours part of her drink onto the bandage covering her wound. She refused to look at it directly, as the last time she did was a few days after she was clipped by the little bitch in red. They visited a doctor who pulled out the bullet, but informed her that it was infected. He cleaned it and sewed her up at gunpoint but he did a good enough job. The infection was slowing down her recovery and doing nothing for her mood, making her irritable at best and murderous at worst.

The sting of alcohol seeping through the bandage wasn't helping.

When she saw the girl in back she noted the rifle and kept an eye out but assumed the woman would do nothing when she hadn't moved, no more than flinching towards her weapon after the bullets tore through the lawmen. Self preservation at it's finest. She hadn't expected the girl to shoot her when her back was turned. Lucky little red got shot herself or Cinder would have had an example to make.

Slowly, she draws herself up and looks around, they arrived only recently at her base. Cave systems carved into the sides of a gorge. Rooms mined out and roughly smoothed. After they were raided, she eventually moved back into it. Taking her mother's previous room for herself. It was far more generously adorned with comfortable furniture and bedding than other rooms. The only one coming close being Cinders old room. That being where their hostage currently resides. Cinder chose it so she could keep a closer eye on the girl herself, but was quickly coming to regret the decision as she once more had to listen to the repetitive banging on the door to the room, followed by shouting.

She did not realize how irritating it would be to keep a hostage like this. Now she understood why her mother never bothered with kidnapping. It just wasn't worth the hassle.

Now she was angry, in pain and trying the squelch a headache as she finally had enough. Standing, she opens the door to her room before grabbing a gun and kicking the door with the heiress locked inside, making the rich girl give a startled gasp as she backs away. Cinder takes a moment to calm herself and fixing her expression into a predatory grin. Finally she opens the door and draws her gun, pointing it at the girl as she calmly walks into the room. "And what can I do for you?" She asks relaxing her grip on the gun and letting the barrel idly swing around, but always in the young woman's general direction.

"You can't keep me a prisoner here!" She shouts, her trepidation from before almost forgotten under the wave of indignation as she recalls exactly what her position is. "This is a cave! What are you even hoping to get out of kidnapping me?" She questions crossing her arms under her chest.

This gets Cinder to chuckle as she shrugs, leaning against the side of the door. "I suppose you're right, it isn't very kind to keep you in this room. Tell you what, you want to walk outside? Sure. But outside this room my protection ends. The men folk out there see someone soft and dainty as you walking around well… They can't really be blamed for pulling you aside for a quick roll in the hay. After all, why else would you be wandering around them if you weren't up for it? I doubt they'll be gentle either…" She says, offering Weiss the wide open door. With a smile that would almost seem friendly if not for what she's implying would happen to Weiss if she took the offer.

"No? Well then let me tell you what's going to happen." She says, ignoring the door as she rounds on the heiress stalking over and grabbing the heiress by the hair using it to pull her towards a chair before shoving her into it. When Weiss tries to rise the Bandit Queen simply kicks the chair over forcing the girl on her back before shoving the pistol in her hands between Weiss's eyes. "You're going to shut your mouth, eat what we give you, and make as little noise as possible. Then, when daddy gives us his money, you'll get to go and forget any of this ever happened." She says, eyes narrowing as Weiss' widen in sudden fear.

"Wh-what?! He'll never give you the money. Sure I'm his daughter, but if I'm gone then he will have all he needs to pass the family name and holdings to my little brother! Depending on how long it takes, your ransom demand to reach him he may have already started." She replies with dread building in her chest alongside hope. If she's worthless they may let her go. Or they'll just kill her.

She was hoping for the former.

Cinder freezes at this. Her eyes widening with concern. Not for the heiress of course, but for herself. She ruled her gang through fear and coercion. So when she promised her men a big payoff it was on her to deliver. This was supposed to be big money, and if she didn't deliver, there would be mutterings and questions. The kind she can't put down by force, and that was a problem. If this job fell through, she may find herself having to hand the heiress over to her men just to temporarily placate them while she came up with a new job.

The little rich bitch could be lying though, and at that thought, Cinders eyes narrowed with scorn filling her features.

"Well then for your sake, you better pray to the Almighty that your daddy loves you more than you think he does. Cause if he don't? One of us will have to square things with my men. And it sure as Hell won't be me." She states holding the gun in place a moment longer before getting back to her feet and leaving the room. This time not bothering to lock the door. Her message was delivered. The rich girl would heed the warning or suffer for it.

And while Cinder could occasionally hear a sob from the room, it being next to hers and her own door left open, at least the girl was crying quietly.


	4. A job half done

Beta read by: Crescent Sunrise

**Chapter 4: A job half done  
**

The following morning Ruby Rose woke to a warm bed, warm blankets and without the dull throb of a hangover. She'd been drinking less lately, not having any chance to partake in her vice since the evening she last spent in the arms, and bed, of May Zedong. She was a woman on a mission, and while tempted to indulge, she didn't pack any of the amber fluid in her saddlebags. She had needed the room for ammo, water, and food. With a sigh she reached for the only vice she had made room for, her smokes. With a tap she pulled one from the half empty box, grateful for the full one still in her bags as she sets it alight and takes a slow drag before sitting up and blinking as the blankets pool around her waist.

She had gotten to used to sleeping naked. So much so that the nightgown felt strange as she climbed out of her bed. Still, it had been set out for her by her hostess and it would be rude to ignore the woman's grateful hospitality.

Ruby Rose was by no accounts rude. She was raised better than that… Most of the time.

Still, she washed up with the basin left for her and put on her clothes before making her way downstairs her smoke half done and hanging from her lip as she enters the main room.

" _Sleep well?"_ Comes the soft spoken voice of Ren in quiet mandarin. As she enters the room. Thanking him quietly as she takes a bowl of oats cooked with cinnamon left out for her on the table. She takes a few bites in silence before responding.

" _As well as I could hope for. Is Nora already gone?"_ Ruby asks in kind, getting a nod from him before he moves the conversation to english. He may enjoy being able to speak his native tongue but his english would only improve with practice.

"Yes. She opens the store at the same time every morning. I wanted her to hold off today." He admits with a small frown on his lips obviously worrying for the woman.

"Ya should just ask her, ya know. Ain't polite ta keep a girl waitin so long." Ruby comments. Usually she wouldn't butt into business that has nothing to do with her but, Nora was a decent woman, and Ruby did want to help her out. If she gave the woman's paramour a small push to tie the knot and make them both happier than Ruby didn't see the harm in it.

He sighs and sets his hands on the table slowly. "I'm not sure what you mean." He replies with his, apparently, calm demeanor.

"Sure ya don't. Well that's all the meddlin' I'm doin here. Just know ya won't be doin' either of you any service by draggin' your feet." Ruby says listening to him chuckle as she stands and takes her breakfast into the kitchen.

"I thought you said you were done meddling?" Ren counters, getting a smirk in return.

"I am, that last bit was just impartin' common sense."

Silence follows and she sees the man looking contemplative when she returns. All the better in her own opinion. Nora was a decent woman and here was the man she wanted, maybe he just needed a little push. She'd find out one day if it worked, provided she lived long enough.

She heads for the door to the outside, grabbing her cloak from a peg on the coat hanger as she leaves, finding a happy horse lazily munching on fresh oats from a feed bag waiting for her.

"Welcome change from prairie grass, huh girl?" Ruby comments, approaching Dahlia and running one of her small hands along the mare's long nose back and forth before patting the shoulder and moving to strap the saddle in place. "Ya want ta' finish that quick though girl. Soon as I get your saddle in place we're movin' on." She says, and with the added weight of the saddle it seems Dahlia get's the point, eating quicker from the bag.

Ruby takes her time giving the mare a chance to finish as she adjusts the saddle and sets the straps. A thin blanket set between leather and the horse's back to keep it from biting and causing Dahlia discomfort. When she's finished she moves to take the feed bag from Dahlia's muzzle giving her mare another slow petting before moving around and climbing up into her seat the reins in hand to lead her horse from the small stable and the two nags Dahlia had been sharing it with.

She grimaces once she's on the main road, having forgotten how distasteful the city was after staying with Ren and Nora. How easy the pair managed to distract her from the life of the city outside. At least in the morning it wasn't as bad as it had been the previous evening when she'd first arrived. She glances up at the sun and turns to lead her horse away from the home, keeping the sun on her right as it burns its way through the sky.

"Three days ride north of Vale. That's where we're going Dahlia, straight into the thick of it. Think you can make it back home if somethin' happens to me?" She asks patting along the horse's neck only to sigh when there isn't a response. "What am I talking about? Of course you won't. You'll probably trot up to the first person with an apple in hand and make friendly." She jokes to herself as the horse once again chooses to remain silent.

"Yer a terrible conversationalist, partner. Then again I guess I ain't much better." She says pulling her next smoke out before tying the reins to her saddle.

* * *

If Yang were perfectly honest she would be the first one to tell you that she didn't like visiting the Rose Ranch. The place she grew up had changed a lot in the years since the previous owners died, and what was once her home now felt unwelcoming and foreign.

The biggest change she noticed every time she came by was the quiet. She had a lifetime of memories and all of them had the place vibrant and filled with noise. From the animals to her father's booming laugh and her sister's giggling. Her mother's soothing voice teaching them the basics the would need for taking care of themselves, and the deeper tones of her father telling stories with exaggerated and silly voices.

She had loved the ranch then and hated being away any longer than she had to. When they had died it was a month before Yang returned to see the place looking as it once was, only with an empty field where the cattle had been back then, and a pair of grave markers under the tree. The sight brought tears to her eyes for the next few years. Now she just focused on whatever she came out to the ranch to accomplish.

She had built a new home in her tavern, changing the name to "The Little Ember" and keeping her place behind the bar. She managed the girls and handled the customers who drank a little too much as gently as she could. Tossing out anyone who got too belligerent or anyone who tried to get rough with the girls.

She had wanted Ruby to move in and even had a room reserved for her little sister permanently, just in case. But the silver eyed girl refused it time and again, refusing to leave the home they grew up in and continuing to stubbornly keep up with the taxes on the property while managing to feed herself on what little she could manage. It helped that she also traded with the local tribes.

With a sigh, Yang turned her attention to the most prominent sound in the area. The gentle creak of a rocking chair on the porch occupied by the familiar face of Fox. He was Ruby's closest friend growing up. He had weathered her excitable nature when she was younger with a patient smile as he learned english. And after that, he was persistent and stubborn when it came to checking up on Ruby at the ranch. Yang never felt like she would be able to thank him enough for looking after her younger sister. She didn't even begrudge him the rocking chair, despite it being the same one her father used to always sit in.

"Welcome back." He says turning his head towards her as she got closer.

"How do you always know it's me?" Yang asks getting a cheeky grin in return.

"Ancient indian tracking technique." He retorts, his grin turning into a plain smirk when she starts to laugh at the blatant lie. "Three reasons really. One is that you're coming from the wrong direction to be from the tribe. The second is that you always stop in the same place. And the last is because no one else has bothered to come by since Ruby left, except you and your girls. Milking the cows?" He asks, already knowing it's what she's here to do. He doesn't know how and being blind only makes the task more difficult. He spent his time checking the coops in the morning and making food for Yang and the others. He never made anything fancy, but it was still appreciated.

Yang pulled the buckets out and started the busy task of milking the cows in the barn. It took her a few hours before she sealed them up and took the last one into the house, setting it on the table for Fox The rest she'll load up and sell it in town setting the money aside for Ruby when she gets back.

She was surprised however when she entered to see the beautiful teacher, Blake, the young tap house owner was definitely holding a torch for leave the kitchen first and smile at the stunned blonde.

"I was hoping I would catch up to you here." She says, setting a small pot down on the table as Fox entered behind her with bowls for the stew. "I haven't seen my favorite bartender in awhile so I wanted to check up on you." She says leaving Yang feeling a little confused.

"You don't even drink though, you just order water anytime you come in." Yang says, her mind blanking on higher forms of thought with the object of her affections standing so close and grinning at her. It doesn't help when she starts laughing and a pleasant tingle runs up the blonde's spine.

"I stop by more for the company." She says happily, ladling portions into the bowls as Fox sits, clearly amused as he moves his head from one speaker to the next.

"But, I've never seen you with any of the girls." Yang says, her confusion growing even as Fox snorts. Yang's not a big fan of being confused and even less at being made the butt of some joke so she glares at the Blind man trying to stifle his snickering missing Blake's blush.

"No, you haven't. Because I wasn't visiting for them." She says and Yang turns that over in her head for a moment before blinking in surprise.

"For me? I mean, Miss Belladonna you're always welcome in my humble establishment. I'm honored to be held in your esteem." She says giving the teacher an easy out in case Yang was misinterpreting what she said and desperately hoping she isn't.

"Yang, don't act stupid, we both know you aren't nearly a slow as you pretend." The black haired woman says, moving around the table with a casual elegance before cupping Yang's cheek with her hand. "And I've told you far too many times to call me Blake."

She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks as Blake grows closer, her eyes shutting in response only to feel something she only dreamed about pressing into her. They kissed slowly, and held it for a long moment until the two sprang apart following the clearing of Fox's throat.

"I'm sure something touching is happening right now, but I'm unable to appreciate it beyond keeping this moment to tell Ruby about later. With that in mind, can we eat before you start wooing each other? I'm hungry, I have no idea where the food is and have no desire to touch a pot right off the stove." He says smirking to himself as he faces their general direction. Unfortunately unable to appreciate the blush sporting both womens cheeks.

* * *

The heiress to the Schnee family has no idea how long she's been trapped in her room. Occasionally opening her door just to stare at the dirt wall of the carved out tunnel opposite her room. She knows to the right of her room is the door leading to her captors room and the left leads outside. Not that she ever left the dubious safety of her room considering the threat leveled at her shortly after they arrived. Her door was never locked after that, it didn't need to be. The threat of Cinder's men alone was enough to keep her inside rather than risk being caught attempting an escape.

So for the moment she was in relative comfort, with her room being Cinder's old room it was furnished with a few amenities she's certain the gang outside did not have. She was fed regularly and with the exception of Cinder's rough handling when they first arrived, she was not abused in the slightest.

As grateful as she was that her treatment wasn't worse, like a cage outside or something, she could only wonder how long it would be before they realized the reward would not be paid and the noose hanging loosely around her neck would be drawn tight. She had no illusions that her virtue would be preserved once they learned that her father was more than willing to write her off.

She desperately hoped she was wrong about him. She found herself praying more in the relatively short time she has spent since arriving at their hideout than she had in the previous year. Still, she was a lot of things and helpless was one thing she refused to be. So with that in mind she turned back to the chair in the corner. It took her some time and effort to wiggle one of the legs free and to make a crude point on one side by slowly dragging it against the ground. It wouldn't last long, but she might be able to at least get one of them when they finally got tired of waiting.

She just hoped it would be awhile yet before it came to that.

* * *

It was a tired and weary Ruby Rose that made camp the night after leaving the city of Vale. She rode a bit quicker than she meant to and Dahlia was worn right out. The horse barely consuming her food and water before going to sleep, leaving her owner in silence as she starts a fire and fetches some of the salted meat from her pack and setting it above the fire. The red-themed girl lifts the saddle from her horse and sets it down leaning her back against it as she draws her cloak around herself, the hood drawn up to cover her head.

The salted provisions were tough when she finally drew them from the fire and began eating it. But it was cooked and provided the nourishment she needed. Swallowing it with a few sips of water was easy enough, anyway.

Deciding to poke her fire a bit higher so it wouldn't go out too soon, Ruby gathers as much wood as she can from nearby, adding it to her little fire before adding the paper that had been wrapping her meat to the flames. With a low sigh, she shifts to get comfortable when she hears the cadence of a horse approaching her little campsite.

She tenses and slips a hand under her cloak to settle on her Peacemaker. The wooden handle a comfortable feeling, and it allows her to pretend to be in a light daze as she listens to the rider dismount and start approaching her. Soon enough Ruby's hand springs from her side, lifting the gun to the approaching figure before her free hand moves to lower her hood, letting her see the person getting closer.

It takes her a moment to notice the pistol aimed right back at her in the hands of the tall redhead, standing across from her. But it's the badge pinned to her waist that gets Ruby to finally start lowering her gun.

"Mah apologies, Marshal. Girl's gotta keep on her toes out here alone, an' a stranger approachin' in the dark sets off all kinds ah warnin' bells." She says slowly, stowing her gun away as the woman aiming at her watches until it's back in its holster before relaxing her own stance and holstering her own.

"I understand. You have a point and no one was hurt. We won't make a thing of it. I was just going to ask if you minded sharing your fire for the night." She says already leading her horse towards where Dahlia is tied up and doing the same with her own pinto stallion. When she turns back, Ruby shrugs and waves at the vacant ground opposite the fire from herself.

"Yer welcome to it. I'd offer you some food too but I ain't got much an' I need what I do have to last until I can pick up a girl and get her back home." She says being purposefully vague about her task. Her eyes narrowing as a look of realization crosses the Marshal's face. Apparently she hadn't been vague enough.

"Would you happen to be Miss Rose?" The marshal asks and Ruby shifts her look of frustration hidden under her hood. Not vague enough by half. Her hand slips back over the handle of her gun. She's not sure she can outdraw the marshal, but she might at least be able to get a shot off on the woman if it came to that.

With her free hand she brings it up to her hood and draws it back after schooling her face into a picture of cold indifference. It was a look she'd grown so used to wearing over the years that it was just normal for her at this point. As the fabric settles around her shoulders her silver eyes meet the emerald orbs of the tall red head across from her. "Ya seem ta' have me at a disadvantage, Marshal. You know my name but ah'm unaware of us havin' any prior connection."

The woman nods and relaxes, taking a seat on the ground with a soft grunt. Her legs crossing in front of her. "I am Pyrrha Nikos. As you are plainly aware, I am in fact a Territory Marshal." She starts before continuing on to explain her arrival in Beacon, her conversation with the Mayor and her subsequent decision to follow after the revenge seeking woman in front of her. Thankfully as her story continues, Ruby slowly relaxes and once more moves her hand away from the grip of the Peacemaker at her waist.

"So, ya found me. Now what are you plannin' on doin'?" The short woman asks, putting her hood back up. It wasn't winter yet, but the bite of cold that preceded it was starting to settle in over the plains at night. During the day, the sun would keep you warm but at night, the wind would strip your heat quick.

"I don't suppose I could convince you to turn around and head back? I'm more than willing to retrieve the heiress on my own." Nikos asks in a tone that suggests she already knows the answer. It's a foolish question anyway and when Ruby doesn't bother answering, she sighs. "I knew you wouldn't. It's not really about the heiress for you after all, even if she is the priority."

"I said I would focus on getting her back safe before entertaining any thoughts of my rightful vengeance. Doesn't mean I won't put Cinder below snakes if I get half the chance." Ruby states coldly, glaring at the ground as her hands grip the sides of her cloak, drawing it tighter around her.

Pyrrha however, just moves closer to the fire adding a little more kindling to keep it going as she studies the small woman. It was hard to believe someone so small and pretty, so well thought of by her town, to be so cold and distant. Pyrrha stands and moves to her horse, removing the saddle and taking the blanket from it's back to wrap herself in before returning. Having come to a decision, she opens her mouth speaking words in a tone that suggests memorization.

"And be it further enacted, That a Marshal shall be appointed in and for each district for a term of four years, but shall be removable from office at pleasure, whose duty it shall be to attend the district and circuit courts when sitting therein, and also the Supreme Court in the district in which that court shall sit. And to execute throughout the district, all lawful precepts directed to him, and issued under the authority of the United States, and he shall have the power to command all necessary assistance in the execution of his duty, and to appoint as shall be occasion, one or more deputies."

There's a long silence before Ruby looks at her campfire guest quizzically. "Okay, an' what's that got to do with anythin'?" She asks with no small amount of trepidation as a metal star is tossed across the fire and lands against her chest the words 'DEPUTY MARSHAL' stamped onto a six pointed steel star. "Ah, I don't need this. My bounty makes what ah'm doin' perfectly legal." She protests reaching for the star so she can toss it back.

"It's the last line of what I quoted that apply here. I have to power to 'command all necessary assistance in the execution of my duty' and appoint, should I feel the need, deputies to help me. I'm deputizing you Ruby Rose. What it has to do with you, is that I don't know you well enough to know one way or the other what your word is worth. This way I can at least tell myself that if it comes to a choice you will listen to me and prioritize Miss Schnee's well being over the death of Cinder Fall. Either you put that badge on and help me, or you can turn your horse around in the morning." The Marshal states in a steely tone. As much as she wanted to trust the short woman to do what's right, when they arrived, there had to be no question what Ruby would do if forced to choose between protecting Weiss, or killing Cinder.

The message was clear enough for Ruby, and she gritted her teeth as her eyes fell on the badge glimmering in the firelight. She only loosened her jaw when her teeth started to hurt and settled for glaring at the woman sitting across from her, watching with stoic certainty. The temptation to throw the badge back at her and saddle Dahlia was there despite the advancing night and cold temperature. But doing so would give the Marshal all kinds of chance to make Ruby's life very, very difficult with the law. She wasn't certain Pyrrha would do so, the woman had seemed the kind sort when she first approached the fire. But it wasn't a bluff Ruby wanted to consider calling.

She hated being cornered like this, and had no trouble turning her ire on the woman who put her in the position to begin with. Unwilling to turn back now however, she took the badge and pinned it to her shirt over her heart before once more wrapping herself up and settling herself in for the night ignoring the quiet thanks she received from Pyrrha as she turned away, letting her silence speak for her.

* * *

The next two days spent getting to the gorge had Pyrrha second guessing her decision to deputize the young woman next to her. She had hoped once Ruby's ire had subsided she would calm down and perhaps they could be more amicable, maybe even come to understand each other a little more.

There was no such luck. Apparently, Ruby Rose was the type to hold a grudge and had rebuffed all attempts at conversation with silence or short, monosyllabic answers. She left her hood up to protect her skin from the sun as much as possible and refused to so much as make eye contact as they traveled. The only time Ruby spoke without prompting was to talk to her horse or to inform Pyrrha they should stop and rest the horses.

At least the horses didn't seem to mind each other. Small victories.

She was just turning over the decision for the thousandth time when Ruby drew to a halt next to her. Her head snapped up in response before squinting ahead as the gorge they were heading for came into view. "We should wait for nightfall before we do anything. If we want to get her out safe, night is our best chance."

With a nod from Ruby, the two turn their horses and head for the cliff wall. Best to have the horses waiting in a place easy for them to find in the dark after they've gotten the girl and are making their escape.

Securing the horses didn't take too long, and after they decided to scout as much as they could. "We'll need a distraction. More than one would be best." Pyrrha says once they've crept as close as either woman dared to get. There were at least thirty men and women milling around the gang's camp Ruby spots the tunnel carved into the cliff face first. And points it out before looking around the camp.

"We ought ta' start a fire far as we can from that tunnel. Then we can cut them horses loose in the confusion. With them runnin' every which way, they shouldn't notice me slip in an' grab the girl." Ruby suggests.

"Are you sure that's wise? You'll be alone and completely surrounded. If there's anyone in there…" She leads, clearly unhappy with the plan her new deputy has come up with.

"You're dressed way too nice for it, an' you talk to proper. Don't fit in no how. Just light the fires, cut the horses loose, an' I'll get the girl." Ruby counters. The fact that she has a better chance of catching Cinder in that tunnel went unsaid. It didn't need to be. Both of them knew exactly what Ruby was after, and trying to stop her now would likely just backfire spectacularly. Pyrrha just had to hope Ruby would prioritize correctly.

* * *

When the commotion started, Weiss was asleep but soon the sounds of shouting filled the tunnel and she listened as Cinder hurried out of her room. Weiss had been tempted to look out into the hall, but at the same time thought better of it. Fear pricking at the back of her mind. Could the uproar be due to the men finding out her father wasn't going to pay for her? It's possible, and she began to grow more and more paranoid the more time passed.

Slowly she pulled herself from her bed and moved the the chair with the broken leg to retrieve her make-shift weapon. She began to panic when she heard the door handle to her room turning. Weapon in hand she picked a corner and made herself as small as possible while the door opened and in stepped a large man with an equally large knife. The grin on his face screaming ill-intent for anyone inside.

He made it two steps inside before the smile turned to a look of confusion as his eyes scanned the room until they landed on the heiress and the smile returned with it's wicked edge. "There ya are. C'mere girl an' I won't hurt you much at all." He stated while advancing, clearly not willing to wait for her to comply, or just assuming she wouldn't.

She was getting ready to lunge when a sharp crack filled the air. And the man fell forward hard, a short woman standing behind him wearing a red cloak with a revolver held in her hand by the muzzle. There was a short pause as they made eye contact before Weiss held her pointy stick up defensively. Sure, the newcomer saved her from the man and didn't look like much with her short stature, but she was still plainly armed and was the second stranger to enter her room today without carrying food.

Meal times were just about the only times Weiss saw anyone who wasn't Cinder and that woman she only got to see when she left her door open and the bandit queen was passing by her room.

"Ain't much time 'for they come to check on you ah'm sure. Hurry up an' put this on." The shorter woman demanded as she removed her cloak and held it out for the Heiress. Just expecting her to put it on without any sort of idea who this stranger is or why she's here.

"And why should I go with you?" She asks, mentally wincing after when she realized just how that sounded. If this is supposed to be her rescuer, than irritating them was not how she wanted to start things off.

The answering glare and the flash of a Deputy Marshal badge hidden under her shirt was enough of an answer for the time being and she put on the cloak with a small grimace. It was warm and soft, but it smelled strongly of soil and horses. It was unlikely that the cloak had been washed in the last few days, if not longer.

Drawing the hood up, with her rescuer impatiently watching the door, she was surprised when the pistol the woman had been carrying is shoved into her hands.

"Finger off the trigger unless you're planning on shooting someone, then just point and pull, ain't hard. Don't shoot unless you got no option, otherwise we'll have the whole gang droppin' on our heads, an' I ain't got enough bullets for all of'em." The woman explains as she removes the lever action rifle from her shoulder where it had been previously concealed by the long cloak.

They made their way out slowly with Ruby leading the through the tunnels. Her silver eyes open and alert as they round corners. When the entrance of the tunnel came into sight, Weiss almost mistook the light for daylight until the smell of smoke met her nostrils. The light of the fires outside wavering and shifting in a way shadows alone can't account for. "We get spotted an' you'll have to run. If i get shot, ya follow the cliff face on the right until ya' hit the Marshal, she'll get you the rest of the way."

With that they were moving. Weiss tried to crouch and make herself as small as possible only to get hauled upright by the silver eyed deputy escorting her. The harsh whisper spoken by the shorter girl reaching her ears over the shouting of the gang members. "Don't do that, anyone lookin' this way's gunna see us. Best to not look out of place than obviously trying not to be seen."

The words made sense but every one of Weiss's instincts were screaming at her to crouch and present a smaller target. Still, she followed the shorter woman closely bumping into her when Ruby came to an abrupt stop, the rifle in her hands starting to lift. Weiss followed the muzzle and her eyes went wide as they landed on Cinder Fall. The murderer that kidnapped her in the first place. It didn't take a genius to see what was about to happen and she knew that that shot would get them both killed even if it did hit.

She pushed the rifle down only to have the short woman snarl and push her away re-aiming her rifle before cursing softly and glaring at the white haired victim with a hate that made the heiress wonder if the rifle was going to be pointed at her next. There was a long pause before Ruby turned away and continued walking. Without much choice, Weiss followed as quickly as she could. They were almost out when a shout from behind them alerted the pair that the time for stealth was finished. The realization compounded when bullets started impacting the cliff next to them and they took off as fast as they could into the dark.

Weiss was not built for sprinting. She did enough to keep her figure slim and attractive, but muscles were unseemly on a woman in the higher echelons of society. So by the time they grouped up with the tall redhead, Weiss was panting roughly and sweat drenched her. The rush of adrenaline that came with the crack of bullets having worn off shortly after the bullets stopped coming. Still, the shouting behind would have given them a good idea of how far away their pursuit was had the torches carried by the gang members not already made it abundantly clear.

Weiss had barely enough time to register the horses before her wrist was grabbed by the now saddled silver haired girl and she felt herself being pulled up in front of the shorter girl. Weiss was forced to lean forward awkwardly so Ruby could see as she forced the overburdened horse into a gallop.

They didn't stop for nearly an hour, and the heiress was very sore when they finally did. She was rubbing her legs after dismounting. The marshal gave a quick introduction as Ruby retrieved her cloak and Peacemaker from the white haired woman. She spun the cylinder on it before holstering it and turning her glare on the white haired girl.

"You weren't wrong ta' stop me from puttin' that bitch down back there. But you step 'tween me an' my vengeance again and I'll knock yer teeth loose." Ruby stated simply before pulling her hood up and tossing Weiss a blanket to protect from the chill in the air. There wouldn't be a fire that night. Not while being so close to the gang, still, Ruby spent that night with her rifle propped against her shoulder, facing away from the heiress and the marshal. Torn between wanting the two women safe, and wanting Cinder to find them so she could put a bullet in the evil bitch, and damn the consequences.


	5. Protestations and Patience on the Prairie

Beta read by: Crescent Sunrise

**Chapter 5: Protestations and Patience on the Prairie  
**

The next morning Weiss woke to the crackle of fire and the smell of something cooking over it. The Marshal and Deputy talking softly to each other while the shorter girl tends to the pot between them, stirring the contents slowly. As she sits up, the deputy that rescued her the night before turns her head to look. "Good, you're up. Fold that blanket up'n come get some food." The young woman states while spooning some of the contents of her pot into a metal container with a handle and a spoon stuck in it.

It did not look the least bit appetizing, but before Weiss could say anything about it the red clad woman shoves the container into her hand and turns back to her conversation with the Marshal. The almost casual disregard for Weiss's presence making the girl bristle with indignation.

"I hear you Marshal, an' that's why I'm tellin' you Dahlia can't take that kinda pace with two of us. Maybe if we swapped off which horse is carryin' two, but odds are too high we run one of'em to death an' Dahlia ain't as young as she used ta be. She'd drop long before your horse then where will we be?" Ruby reasons out and there's not much Weiss can add as she woke halfway through the conversation.

She looks down at the bowl in her hand and eyes the food with dubious uncertainty but seeing the other two eating she forces aside her displeasure with the knowledge she likely won't be given anything else. It at least has to be better than what the gang was feeding her, right?

It's not.

She scowls in disgust, looking at her bowl as if it said something offensive and she nearly puts it down in protest when she notices the conversation has once more stalled with both the Sheriff and Deputy looking at her. At least the former has the good grace to look sympathetic.

Unfortunately it's the Deputy that speaks.

"That's all we got ta eat. So either you eat it or you pass it here, but don't expect anythin' else ta come your way till we break for lunch." She comments without any sympathy in her voice. And while the Marshal gives her a chastising look she doesn't refute her deputy. And soon enough they turn to face each other again leaving her to it.

"So what do you suggest Miss Rose? We have to move quickly, because I've little doubt they will be on their way back to your town even now to reclaim Miss Schnee." Pyrrha returns only to get an irritable huff from the shorter woman who looks from the Marshall to Weiss and the horses for a long moment before nodding her head.

"Alright, I got enough supplies for the two of us to get back on seein' as I was plannin' on runnin' this rescue on mah lonesome anyhow. You, on the other hand can get ahead of them on the road an' gallop ahead to the town. Rustle up some resistance an' be ready for us when we get there. I'll take her straight on there through the plain. That way we save a little time an' avoid anyone Cinder might have waitin' for us in Vale." Ruby mentions with a sigh. "Townsfolk're a bit soft in Beacon sure, but they'll arm up to defend their homes. Especially after what she did to the sheriff."

"Absolutely not!" The Heiress protests ignoring her food for the moment as she crosses her arms over her chest. "You are not going to leave me alone with this ruffian! She's clearly more interested in her revenge than getting me back safely. What is stopping her from leaving me out here alone?"

She expected the Deputy to get upset. To protest her rather unflattering evaluation of the red woman's character. Possibly even threaten her. Only to find herself confused and infuriated when 'Miss Rose' gave her a long cold look before snorting with derision and ignoring her altogether.

What she also hadn't expected was for the disapproving look from the Marshal to fall on her next. "My Deputy has her reasons for her hatred. However clouded it might make her judgement at times, her reputation in her town has never been unfavorable. Nor have I found any reason to distrust her. She'll see you back safely because she's agreed to do it, because she's been hired to do it, and because she's compelled by law to do it. I understand you've been through an ordeal Miss Schnee, but please try to remember who it was that walked into that encampment and led you out at great personal risk."

It was true, as frustrating as it is for the Heiress to admit it, the Deputy did risk herself just to attempt a rescue that could have gone horribly wrong for a great number of small details. Even though they were eventually caught out and shot at, Weiss had still been rescued and led to safety.

The hate that had filled those silver eyes when she'd ruined the deputy's shot however was a memory still seared into Weiss' mind, it fueled her hesitant behavior towards the idea of being left alone with her red cloaked savior. Nevermind that the deputy had accepted she had done the right thing later that same night.

So, chastised and irritated, she finished her food and gave the bowl back to the red cloaked girl with a huff before trying to fix her clothes that were starting to feel scratchy from dust, dirt and continued wear. Something she doubts will be remedied in the coming days. And from the sounds of the discussion she would be stuck with the red cloaked woman.

* * *

After Ruby finished rinsing the dishes she'd used to make their breakfast with a little water from their supplies and swallowing the food flavored result she set to drying them and placing them back in her pack as Pyrrha mounted her stallion. The red haired law woman would be riding ahead after all. She would have to be quick to ready the town for Cinder and her men if they had any hope of turning the bandits away.

Leaving her to escort the Heiress back through the plains alone.

Joy.

Ruby brought herself up onto Dahlia with a grunt as her wound twinged. It was much better now after more than a week of healing but it would likely bother her for months. Irritating, but she could live with it. Turning though she looks at the Heiress and offers the woman a hand up. At some point They would have to dismount and walk to save Dahlia some of the effort on the trip. She wasn't yet a nag but she wasn't the spry young horse she had been either. She had maybe seven good years left in her and Ruby was determined not to let that end early.

So once the Heiress was on the horse, seated directly in front of the young deputy they began to ride at a smooth trot. Both to help prolong the ride and to help keep the Heiress from any painful bouncing. Riding without a saddle can be painful at the best of times after all if done for an extended period of time.

Good thing the Heiress isn't too much taller than her either, otherwise Ruby would have to ride in front or try to maneuver Dahlia while staring at the woman's back.

It was four hours before Ruby drew to a halt. The ranch owner pleasantly surprised that the prissy rich woman hadn't once complained about either her comfort or their pace. Still, now would be the time to bring it out of the girl. They would have to walk from here onwards.

Besides, the woman's scent was distracting and stirred unwanted feelings in the silver eyed woman.

Ruby frowned to herself as she dismounts first before once more offering her hand to the Heiress, helping her down before leading the way on foot with Dahlia's reigns in hand. Keeping herself in front this time. It had been well over a week since Ruby had experienced the touch of another, and while that wasn't normally an issue for her, having the beautiful woman pressed against her like that was frustrating.

With an irritable growl she resigns herself to the knowledge that it would be a long week ahead of her.

"We need to give Dahlia a rest, so we'll be walking 'til lunch. She'll get some real rest then an' we'll be able to ride again 'til nightfall." She explains rather than wait for the woman to ask what's going on.

One good thing about the fall season is that the plains weren't quite as hot during the day as they would have been a month prior. Still, without a cloud in the sky the sun beat down relentlessly. And looking back at the Heiress's skin, even more fair than Ruby's own, the deputy sighed knowing that she would likely burn if she remained uncovered for much longer. So she pauses ignoring the woman's curious look as she removed her cloak and offered it to the white haired beauty once more.

"Put it on, it might not be that hot, but the sun will still burn ya up good if'n ya don't cover up." Ruby says brusquely. Loathe to give up her hood at all, let alone to someone who obviously thinks so little of her if the Heiress's words that morning were any indication.

There's a hesitation in the Heiress before she takes the cloak and puts it on her shoulders before drawing the hood and making a little face. "It smells like your horse." She says with a small grumble before flinching as Ruby growls.

"Fine then, give it back if'n yer gunna be ungrateful 'bout it." She says reaching out to snatch back her hood from the ungrateful little-

"No!" The white haired woman says stepping away a little flinching at the ire in Ruby's cold silver eyes. "I-I mean, it's not a bad smell really. Thank you for lending it to me." She says drawing the hood lower letting it hide her face from the long probing look on Ruby's face.

The deputy remains there staring for a long moment before huffing and turning away to bend down and grab handfuls of dirt to brush along her own arms. Letting the dirt coat her exposed skin to provide a small amount of protection before standing up and taking Dahlia's reigns again and starting to walk. Ignoring the feeling of eyes staring at her back.

* * *

When Ruby came to a stop for lunch she found herself once again surprised by the Heiress's silence. The deputy had expected complaining and possibly a request to ride the horse again. Not that she would have allowed it. But it was what she expected from the privileged Schnee.

Instead when she glanced behind herself she noticed frustration and discomfort, a little wincing with each step as the pricey shoes the woman was wearing were not meant to be worn when walking long distances. But each time her looks were noticed, Weiss' shadowed face would shift to a small scowl as determination lights in her blue eyes. Leaving Ruby to look forward again so the Heiress wouldn't see the small smile forming on her lips.

As it was, she found a little copse of trees and lead them there removing Dahlia's saddle. Leaving the horse to graze and rest on her own before settling herself down in the shade looking through her bags for the dried meat she had pulling a pair of large pieces for herself and the Heiress.

She realizes she's probably been harsher on the woman than she should be. Being kidnapped right after watching the people who were supposed to keep you safe shot down and submitted to whatever the Grimm gang thought of as hospitality was not what anyone would call 'a good time' by Ruby's reckoning. So she gives a small smile to Weiss trying to warm her usually cold expression at least a bit for the Heiress as she offers her the food.

"What in God's name is _that?_ " Comes the immediate response as the rescued woman takes her share between two fingers and looks at it with no small amount of hesitation.

The reaction confusing Ruby entirely and serving to immediately remove the slightly warm smile she was putting on for the woman as she states the obvious. Unsure what about it Weiss could possibly be confused about. "...It's meat?"

"It looks as if you pulled it from tree!" Comes the response and Ruby scowls again in return. Unsure why she expected the rich girl to be any different in the first place. She had been starting to respect the woman she was escorting. More the fool Ruby was for it too.

"It's jerky woman, the hell did ya expect, prime steak?" She responds coldly, missing the wince from the Heiress along with the long look she got in reply to that frustrated that her effort was rebuffed. Instead the deputy falls into silence ripping the piece of her jerky and chewing slowly as she looks out across the empty plains.

Needless to say, there was not much in the way of conversation between the two drastically different woman for some time after that.

* * *

When they came to rest at the end of the day Ruby spent her time setting up the camp and getting her cooking pot situated over a small fire. The cold wind hitting her skin making her shiver a bit as she moves her hands over the flames to warm them before rubbing them against her arms to spread the heat.

At least this time the Heiress didn't complain about her food. But Ruby was feeling a little uncomfortable with how often she catches the white haired girl staring at her.

At first, Ruby thought the woman was doing it because she wanted to complain about something but was changing her mind or losing her nerve when Ruby turned to acknowledge her. But she was familiar with the Heiress's looks of frustration or irritation. This stare wasn't either of those. It was almost… contemplative. And Ruby didn't know what to make of that and chose to simply ignore it.

The heat in her body that had built while once again pressing against the woman's back was not making it easy, especially now that the cold night air is slowly robbing her of it while she tries to build the fire. Once she finally gets the flame really going she retreats to her supplies grabbing the blanket she gave to Weiss the night before. It wasn't as warm as her cloak but it would do.

As if feeling Ruby's gaze on her, Weiss turns and glances at the deputy before following her gaze to the cloak and starting to remove it expecting the blanket in the Deputy's hands is for her to use again.

"Nah, keep it on. It's a mite warmer than the blanket is. Should keep the heat in well if'n ya keep it closed." She says already unfolding the blanket and wrapping it around her own shoulders tightly as she returns to the fire. Poking at the slowly building flames to get more of it to catch before pulling her supplies out and start to make a simple stew. Focusing on her more perishable foods. It would taste a bit better than the breakfast she made that morning but she had been loathe to use her supplies then when she knew there was a good chance she would convince Pyrrha to ride ahead.

Half way through cooking she looks up to see Weiss sitting across from her staring again and she shifts with a bit of discomfort at being scrutinized so. "What? There somethin' on mah face?" She finally asks when the look starts to become to much for her to continue baring silently.

She hadn't expected to see the Heiress blush a rather fetching shade of red in response. But she doesn't comment as she sees Weiss clear her throat before speaking up. "I just… I realize that I never thanked you for risking your life to rescue me. That was terribly rude of me and despite the threat you gave me later that night and your brusque attitude, I should not have questioned your honor in agreeing to escort me. Especially considering the fate you likely rescued me from." She says in that carefully precise way she did when giving the speech back at Beacon. Only where that one rang with empty words and false cheer this seemed far more sincere to Ruby's ears.

The Deputy lets out a small sound of acknowledgement before turning back to the meal fetching a small tin of pepper and adding a few shakes to the stew. Her expression does however warm a bit after hearing Weiss speak. She hadn't intended it to encourage the white haired girl to keep talking to her but wasn't strictly against the notion either. The Heiress had a nice voice and Ruby wasn't against the idea of hearing more of it, especially when it's not that grating, painful shrill of indignation.

"So, the Marshal mentioned you had a reason for hating Cinder Fall?" The Heiress ventures gently. As if scared Ruby would suddenly snap at her again. The idea of the white haired woman being scared of her doesn't really sit right with Ruby and she shifts, grimacing in discomfort as she tries not to let pain and rage show on her face.

Really it was a fair question, Ruby considers when pondering whether or not to answer. She had almost gotten them both killed when she tried to take a shot at Cinder's back while in the encampment. That said, she turns to her saddle bag and reaches deep inside for something she noticed when getting the supplies for dinner. That same bottle of cheap whiskey she'd had back home had found its way buried into the bottom of her saddle bag. She was lucky it hadn't burst really. And if she was going to talk about this, she wasn't doing it completely sober. She takes a long hard pull before capping it again and starting to speak.

"Ma and Pa owned a ranch, a fair bit of cattle on it. We did well as a family. I don't hate her specifically. I hate anyone wearin' that brand on account of what they did to mah family when they decided they wanted the cattle." Ruby explains, leaning back a little and wishing she had her hood to pull over her head. Instead she settled for rubbing her face with her hands. "When Pa wasn't willin' to give up our livelihood without a fight they started shootin'. Ma tried to help but… They jus' killed'em both and took the cattle. My sister runs the taphouse in town so now it's jus' me on the ranch. I thought the Grimm Gang was all dead. Then they roll into town, kill the lawmen and make off with you." She explains before finally pulling out a pair of bowls and ladles some stew into each. Passing one across to Weiss before settling down again.

There is silence for a few minutes after that as they content themselves with eating, no complaints this time and the Heiress doesn't even seem to mind the flavor if the look on her face is anything to go by. That knowledge sends a little bit of pride running through Ruby.

"So… You own a ranch?" Comes the next question with hesitation. "It's just… You seem so capable and sure. I was under the impression that your occupation ran more in line with law enforcement." She adds and Ruby is forced to quash some of her irritation.

She really doesn't talk much casually. The most anyone normally gets out of her is a sentence or two with the obvious exception of Yang or May. Ever since coming on this mission she's found herself acting more and more out of character. Like how she warmed up a little to Nora and Ren, or her cooperation with the Marshal.

And now here telling the Heiress all this stuff about her life. She did not like thinking about how her parents died. It took May two months of gentle reassurances and half a bottle before Ruby opened up. Yet here she was, barely more than a swig and a simple question and she's already told the tale. At least it didn't hurt as much to do so anymore. Whether that was due to time or her present company, she didn't know.

At length she finished her meal and decided to answer. "Yeah, I grew up on it too. Pa always said his girls would know how to defend themselves. So he taught me an Yang how to shoot with that same rifle. Tha colt belonged to my Ma. Tried to give the rifle to Yang but she wouldn't have it. Up till the Grimm Gang shown up, the biggest thing I ever aimed it at was a coyote. Still, I can shoot straight and got a good eye for it. An' gettin the confidence to aim it at a person ain't too hard when it's them lot on the other side of the barrel." Ruby admits. "I've given some thought to takin' over as Sheriff when I get back. But then I'd definitely have to hire on help for the ranch. And I don't think I'll ever move out or sell the place." She admits with a shrug as she glances down at her deputy badge for a moment before taking the nearly empty pot and splitting the remains between herself and Weiss.

"If'n ya don't mind, I got a question too." Ruby admits at length when the meal is completely done and she sets herself to washing the pan and bowls. "What did ya mean earlier when ya mentioned me rescuin' ya from a bad fate? Can't imagine them mistreatin such a valuable hostage too bad." Ruby questions one of her brows lifting at the rather humorless chuckle she gets in return.

"Cinder mentioned that if my father didn't come through on the money she would hand me over to her men to keep them loyal while she came up with another job. And while my father certainly has the money to pay her ransom, he is far more likely to write me off so my brother can take over as heir to the company. He's already removed my older sister's eligibility to inherit on a technicality. I wouldn't put it past him to cite some noble excuse for not paying and handing it all over to Whitley. I have little doubt she would have followed through with it either." Weiss explains with a look of distaste.

"I can hardly believe that. Family ought to look out for each other. Ain't right leavin' someone of yer blood like that. Hell, Yang's only mah half-sister an I'd give up everythin' if it meant keepin her whole 'n healthy." Ruby replies in some disbelief. "I can't imagine anyone leavin their family to suffer like that."

That get's her a sigh from the Heiress who looks suddenly quite weary and tired. "Yes well, in the words of Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine, 'It is not only the slave or serf who is ameliorated in becoming free… the master himself did not gain less in every point of view,… for absolute power corrupts the best natures.' And my father is certainly very powerful."

Silence falls over the pair as they both lose themselves in their own thoughts. The cleaned pots and pans being stowed away along with the bottle of alcohol. It's only as Ruby is settling herself down with her back propped against the saddle that she finally breaks the silence. "Well, if'n he don't want ya, he don't deserve ya. Best to just find someone that does an rub his face in the loss if ya ask me." She says after she closes her eyes and shifting for more comfort while readying herself for sleep. Her blanket pulled up to her chin a poor substitute for her warm cloak and hood.

She hears nothing for a long few minutes before the Heiress starts to move but it takes her longer than it should to realize the sound isn't someone getting comfortable but someone getting closer. It's not until her blanket is lifted stealing some of her precious body heat that she fully realizes just how close Weiss has gotten. And the colder body pressing against her front that saps what little heat she had even through her clothes is not exactly welcome either.

"The hell woman, yer freezin'!" Ruby complains glaring down at the head hidden from view under the red fabric of the cloak. Her hands already moving to push the woman off even as the Heiress wraps her own around Ruby's waist intent on resisting.

"Yes, that tends to happen when it's cold outside." Comes a terse reply that temporarily pauses Ruby's attempt to push the woman off of her so she can reply indignantly.

"I know that, but yer like ice! Watch the feet dangit, why ain't ya wearin' yer shoes?!" she adds when the icy appendages push up her pants above her ankles to leech the heat from her legs.

"Well then Deputy, I suppose you'll just have to keep me warm then. This whole trip will all be pointless if I catch my death of cold out here…" The Heiress responds as Ruby gives up trying to push her away. The shared body heat between them already helping to keep both far warmer than they would have been alone. "... and the shoes aren't comfortable enough to sleep in."

Ruby can only grumble half heartedly as she adjusts to the weight of a head pressed to her collar bone and moves the blanket to cover them both instead of just herself. Once she's more or less settles she lets the silence drag on a bit before sighing. "It's Ruby by the way, Ruby Rose." She says to the Heiress who shifts a little in response.

"Weiss Schnee."

"I knew that already, Princess." Ruby admits openly.

"Everyone does. I'm just giving the commoner permission to use it." Weiss states before lifting her head long enough to give Ruby a deadpan look before retaking her position. There's a long moment before the pair start to shake with the muffled chuckles of two highly surprised women. Neither having believed they were capable of such free humor anymore.

* * *

Cinder Fall was absolutely, murderously, furious. The man who was discovered in the Schnee girl's room had been gutted and tossed alive into a pit filled with scorpions. He did not die quickly or pleasantly. His punishment for not only disobeying Cinder's order that the girl not be brought to any harm before they got their payment. But also for failing to stop the girl from escaping when he did so.

Added to this was the worsening pain in her arm. It did not look promising and she stabbed the doctor she had her men bring in when the pain failed to go down. It was badly infected and, according to the dearly departed doctor, had they been faster in treating it she might have only lost her arm. Maybe if he had done the job right the first time when he was pulling the bullet out of her arm he wouldn't have had to die.

Still the evidence was undeniable. Cinder Fall was dying and there wasn't anything she could do about it now except take her men back to that little nothing town. Find the little bitch who shot her in the first place and apparently had the hare brained idea it was a good idea to steal the gangs' payday. And then make her watch as Cinder burned, first her ranch, then all her friends and family alive.

Cinder might be going to hell. But she was damned if she was going alone.


	6. Love is a Warm Fire

Beta read by: Crescent Sunrise

**Chapter 6: Love is a warm fire  
**

**~Day two~**

Waking up surrounded by warmth and the slight weight of the heiress over her was confusing for Ruby. She enjoyed the warmth, and scent, it was far from the most uncomfortable night of sleep she'd had, considering she had spent it on the ground. She indulges herself in the feeling for awhile longer before it started to grow uncomfortably warm and she slowly shifted from under the Heiress to start her day.

Apparently she wasn't careful enough.

As she tried to pull herself out from under the white haired beauty she found herself held fast by arms wrapped around her hips. Not the lazy and loose hold May would sometimes have in the mornings after intimacy. No, this hold was possessive, holding Ruby tight to the Heiress as the sleepy woman grumbled lightly and pressed her cheek into Ruby's stomach now that her shoulder is out of reach.

At least with the blanket now shifted mostly off of her she didn't have to worry about getting too hot. But she still had breakfast to make, her horse to saddle, and prairie to cross. None of which is going to get done laying around.

And yet, Ruby couldn't bring herself to wake the woman. Weiss had been worn right out the previous day with all the harsh travel she wasn't used to. It had been clear as day to anyone who was. But she stuck it out. Didn't complain about the uncomfortable horse ride or the walking they had to do. There was a back bone to the prissy rich woman that Ruby hadn't expected to find and yet it was right there in her actions.

That or she did all of it to spite Ruby and avoid the cold woman's scorn. At this point it was a toss up. But Ruby was rather hoping it was the former if for no other reason than that it would make dealing with Weiss far more pleasant for both of them.

The change in position and the sun hitting Weiss's face seemed to have an effect on her though. She shifts and clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth for a moment before her eyes blink open. And soft groan leaving her lips as she burrows tighter to Ruby's stomach her head pushing up the fabric of the Deputy's shirt. Her arms squeezing tighter after moving up to Ruby's waist though makes the silver eyed woman gasp and grit her teeth in pain. The pressure on her healing wound not at all pleasant.

The sound was enough to make the Heiress open her eyes slowly. Blinking bleary eyes as she presses her face more into the warm flesh underneath. It's enough to bring a tiny smile to Ruby's lips when seeing the Heiress so disoriented and out of sorts.

Unfortunately it doesn't last long, as soon as Weiss realizes where she is she pushes herself up rapidly, making Ruby howl and curse shoving the white haired woman away as she sits up nursing the tender area with hissing breaths. "God dammit. Careful where ya press woman that's tender!"

With Weiss having moved off of her she lifts her shirt to expose the circle of healing, stitched skin where a little over a week prior she had a hole punched in her. With a click of her tongue she slowly rewraps herself and carefully moves to stand up fixing her shirt as she does so.

When she spots the white haired woman on the ground staring at her wound looking both embarrassed and concerned at the small wound, Ruby feels a flash of guilt for shoving her away so roughly. With a long sigh she pushes herself to her feet and folds up the blanket from the night before, setting it over her sattle. When she turned around she saw something that made her eyes go wide and dive for the Heiress.

"And what was that for!?" Comes the shrill shriek Ruby had hoped not to hear again as the Deputy grabs the shoe Weiss had been about to try and put on. Ruby doesn't say anything as she tips it upside down and shakes it roughly before tossing it to the Heiress and doing it to the other. Only to step back as this time a small yellow scorpion falls out and hits the ground before being impaled by a knife cutting off the sound of Weiss's recrimination.

"Always check before puttin'em on. Critters like that love themselves dark, enclosed spaces. If'n that little one there stung you we would have been in for all kinds of fun. Swellin', fever, vomitin, chills, the works. Probably not dead though. It was a baby, an even the adults rarely kill anyone." Ruby explains, passing the now silent Weiss her second shoe much more gently. Noting how the white haired woman won't meet her eyes, Ruby gives a soft chuckle and shakes her head as she starts making their breakfast.

"What? What is so funny?"

"You are, Princess. Ah can't tell if'n yer just the prideful sort or if'n yer scared of showin' some kinda weakness. Maybe it's just the way you was raised, I dunno. But ya seem like yer almost allergic ta words like 'thank you' or 'sorry.'" Ruby comments still chuckling gently as she gets the fire going.

"I thanked you for saving me and apologized for my behavior!" Weiss protests hotly, her eyes narrowing on the Deputy currently bent over the fire.

"Nah, ya jus mentioned that you hadn't yet done either. An ah figured tha's as much as ah was gunna get from ya." Ruby replies smirking at the Heiress as she opens her mouth to deny it a few times before putting it back down with a huff, her arms crossing under her chest as her head turns away with her gaze lowered. Ruby's head twitches as she hears the woman murmur something that sounds suspiciously like a 'thank you'. Her smirk slipping into a small warm smile.

* * *

**~Day three~**

Ruby pulls Dahlia to a stop at a wide stream of water. Slowly she gets off her horse and looks up and down the stream before sighing and starting to strip out of her clothing while wondering how far along she will get before the Heiress says something.

She only manages to remove her shirt.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Ruby pauses and turns looking over her now bare shoulder a small snort of laughter escaping her before she can smother it. A smile coming to her lips as she spots the bright red flush of the heiress' cheeks. "Well princess, this here is a river. Beacon? It's on tha other side. Which means we need ta get on tha other side. Right now, Ah need to go for a little dip to see if it's shallow 'nough for us ta cross on Dahlia. If it ain't we're both gunna have to strip an carry tha bags above us as we cross. An ah don't know 'bout you. But ah ain't lookin forward to travelin' in soaked clothin'." She explains as her hands slowly pull open her belt. Her back turning to the thoroughly embarrassed Heiress as she shimmies out of her pants and underthings.

Now naked, Ruby quickly rummages through the saddlebags before making a sound of triumph when she finds her bundle of rope that she ties one end to Dahlia's saddle horn and tying herself off on the other end.

"'Sides," Ruby says while making sure both knots were secure, "this here's the best chance we got ta clean up." She adds when she takes her first steps into the cold water suppressing the shiver that runs up her skin and the forming goosebumps.

Ruby cautiously makes her way deeper into the water, normally she would try and search up or down stream a ways looking for a shallower place to cross, but they're on too tight a schedule to waste what daylight they have looking right now. They would have to cross here.

At the middle point Ruby's shoulders are a little too close to the water for what she'd consider safe, she doesn't bother going any farther since her slack on the rope is running short anyways. "Too deep ta ride, but Dahlia can take the bags while we strap ourselves to her. 'Least this way we can make it in one trip, save us some time." She says not paying any attention to her nudity.

Ruby was not a very modest woman. Sure, she was loath to go out into public without anything on. Tempting the men-folk wasn't exactly a great idea after all. But out on the prairie with no one but another woman and her own horse? Ruby didn't see any reason to be shy about her body.

Still, Weiss's reaction does garner no small amount of amusement from the silver eyed Deputy as she starts to bundle her clothing and stands to look at Weiss who has since dismounted and still refuses to do more than glance in her direction.

"Well, ya comin'? If ya wanna walk around in wet clothes that's yer decision. But we ain't ridin' Dahlia again till yer all dry." Ruby mentions before turning away to secure her own things to the saddlebags for now. When she's done with her own gear she looks back and her gaze falls on the very self-conscious Heiress currently walking towards her with her clothes wrapped up in Ruby's cloak, using the bundle to hide her chest for as long as she can before trying to hand the bundle over while still retaining her modesty.

Ruby takes a little pity on the poor woman and looks away as she takes the bundle to add to the pile. Done with that, Ruby takes the time to alter the ropes knots so her and Weiss can be secured to the saddle. She holds the newly freed end of rope blindly to Weiss, "Ya know how to tie a proper knot?"

"I... I don't believe I can." Weiss replies with a slight tremble.

Ruby looks to her then and sees that Weiss… may have been oglin' her backside, but she just grins and ties the rope around the Heiress' waist quickly before leading her and Dahlia into the river. It gives Ruby a nice feeling being appreciated by the high class Heiress, though. Ruby knew she had a pretty face but felt she had too many muscles to be considered much of a real beauty. So she enjoyed the gaze as long as she could until Weiss caught herself near halfway across the river and blushed, rapidly averting her gaze once more when Ruby gave her an amused look after posing a little.

The Deputy couldn't help the laugh that came as a result after they were passed the worst of the river walk, once she finally calmed down she nodded to herself when they reached shallow waters again before tossing the Heiress a small bar of soap from the bags. She then got Weiss untied from the saddle before leading Dahlia off.

"Ain't much but it'll get ya clean. Don't bother with the clothes, ah'll wash'em for ya when we get to town. Ya don't wanna be wearin' damp clothes when tha sun goes down. Ah'm gunna get Dahlia tha rest of tha way." She states not waiting for the response before she heads onward to the riverbank. Listening, she hears Weiss wading in a little further downstream and chooses not to look that way for the time being as she focuses on getting her horse.

After Ruby successfully leads Dahlia to the opposite bank she takes her time feeding Dahlia some of the oats from her pack letting Weiss have some measure of privacy while she bathes. Though she is willing to admit to herself that there is some temptation to have a look. What little she saw of the Heiress had been stunning and she just knew it would be all she will think about if they end up sleeping the same way they had the past two nights.

Honestly she was starting to look forward to the evenings.

Weiss was taking too long. Much as Ruby would like to let the Heiress finish at her own pace, they don't have the time to spare and Ruby had already finished cleaning herself up as much as she can without the soap still in the possession of the Heiress. So with a sigh Ruby calls out.

"Don't mean ta rush ya Princess but if'n ya ain't done in tha next five minutes we're gunna head on without ya. Don't worry though, Ah'll take yer clothin so ya can't lose any of it!" She shouts. It's not a threat either, Ruby would do it too if only to avoid being called a liar. She would keep the pace slow though so Weiss wouldn't have to run far to catch up.

She spends the five minutes ignoring the indignant shouting from downstream while refilling their supply of water. By the time she's finished and put the supplies away, a now clean Weiss has stomped her way back to shore and takes a moment to gather herself before silently offering Ruby the soap and turning away with a huff. Forgetting for a moment her nudity in a way that makes Ruby chuckle as the Deputy saddles Dahlia and starts to put on her own clothing.

"Do you have a towel I can use?" Weiss asks looking expectantly at Ruby only to glower at the surprised look she gets in return.

"Princess, do ah look like ah have room in my bags for that? Jus get dressed, sun'll do the dryin' fer ya." Ruby replies before putting a cigarette between her lips and lighting it. After turning away. The smile on her lips hidden from sight as well as the small amount amusement that comes from the aggravated sputtering behind her.

* * *

**~Day five~**

Ruby stopped them around noon when they came across a tree large enough to provide some shade. Leaving Dahlia to graze the Deputy turned to her charge with a small smirk on her lips. Got a surprise for ya, Princess. Wait here an ah'll be back in just a bit."

With that, Ruby grabbed her rifle and headed back a short way to where she spotted a few bushes tightly packed together. Ruby laid herself down and tosses a few rocks into the bushes. She hadn't noticed the Heiress following her but she did notice when she spoke up.

"What are you doing?" Comes the question and Ruby winces before hushing the rich woman and drags her down, bringing her closer to the ground as she looks over at the bushes where a few jack rabbits have emerged, ears and heads swiveling around to look for predators.

"Shhh, jus look if'n yer gunna watch." Ruby whispers before slowly easing her rifle up, ignoring the cooing sound from the Heiress as she spots the jack rabbits hopping around in the open.

Slowly the lines up her shot and closes an eye to aim down the barrel drawing back the hammer with quiet patience. Her finger moving from the side of her rifle to the trigger before starting to squeeze.

She expected to get one of the jack rabbits that she could skin and clean for a bit of fresh meat knowing how much the Heiress disliked having to eat the salted rations, meal after meal. She thought something fresh would be a welcome change.

What she didn't expect was a shout and her rifle pushed away as she pulled the trigger. The loud crack of a round firing into the dirt nowhere near the jack rabbits sending the meal darting away rapidly first into the bushes and then out the other side diving through patches of tall grass in patterns Ruby had no chance of predicting.

Frustrated and angry Ruby pushes away from the Heiress and gets to her feet looking down her rifle in the direction the jack rabbits ran in before growling and stomping her way back to her horse as an incensed Weiss follows her.

"What was that?! You were going to shoot those poor things!" She shouts in that shrill tone that makes Ruby wince and fight the urge to cover her ears. Instead, Ruby forces herself to take a long slow breath trying to slip behind the cold mask of indifference she used to wear so easily before meeting this infuriating woman.

"Ah was gunna get us some fresh meat fer lunch. Ah know ya ain't partial to the stuff ah got packed away. Thought ya might enjoy somethin' ain't dried an covered in salt." She replies in a quiet tone before shaking her head and moving to dig in her bags again. "Guess ah was wrong." She says getting a confusing mixture of guilt and satisfaction as she watches the surprise on Weiss's face change to an embarrassed and sheepish expression.

The confusing mix only serves to irritate her more as Weiss does something she didn't expect.

"My apologies Ruby, I thought the view of them was the surprise." She says simply.

To which Ruby can only frown and grunt in acknowledgement as she tries once more to shunt her emotions and finds that cold mask becoming more and more difficult to wear. Eventually she just sighs and meets Weiss's eye before nodding and viciously ignores the warm feeling that comes over her at the smile she gets in return.

* * *

**~Day six~**

When evening came and Ruby stopped their progress to make camp at the top of a shallow dip in the earth, she caught herself glancing not at the Heiress using Dahlia's saddle as a chair but at the horizon where the sun is slowly descending filling the sky with beautiful color. Ruby sets down the supplies she gathered to start the fire and moved to where the ground starts to decend and sits herself down, her eyes watching the sky as the sun slowly dips lower.

She barely registers it when Weiss sits next to her. The Heiress's gaze flickering back and forth between the sunset and Ruby. "Are you alright?" Comes the simple if slightly concerned question. It's enough to Make Ruby smile a little in response before deciding to do something else new for her.

"Yeah, ah'm alright. Used ta do this alot when ah was younger, ya know? Sit out on our fence an watch tha sunset with my Ma. She'd bring out a couple of glasses of milk an we'd watch tha sun go down if'n ah could stay awake long enough. Always looked forward to it back then. After they passed… It was hard ta look at. A lot of things were hard to look at ya know? Ah learned ta deal with it so ah could keep tha ranch goin' but… Never had to look at the sunset to work on tha ranch. It… It ain't easy, but it ain't as hard as it used ta be either." Ruby admits much to her own surprise. She found talking about herself and her pains to be less troublesome around the Heiress. For a reason she doesn't really understand.

She's sure her pain is showing in her eyes but just can't bring herself to cover it up, her cold mask gone in this moment of weakness. Nor does she resist when Weiss shifts closer and presses against her side. Only shifting a little in return so their both leaning slightly into each other.

Ruby contents herself in the moment watching the sun touch the horizon and begin to slip beneath it when she feels Weiss move again. A warm hand touching her cheek before her head is turned. Her eyes lingering on the sight before changing to the blue eyes of the heiress. The question in her eyes even as she opens her mouth to voice it.

Suddenly those eyes are very close and then they're gone. Ruby's mouth isn't able to form the words as warm lips press gently against them. Softly at first then with rising urgency as the the hand on her cheek slides up and into her hair.

Ruby's head spins for a moment as it flashes with daydreams she's thus far ignored while riding or sleeping with the Heiress for the past several days. It isn't until Weiss straddles her that some semblance of sense returns to the Deputy and she gently pushes away. As the kiss is broken the pair are left breathing heavily. "This ain't somethin ya really want, Princess." Ruby tries, scowling as Weiss rolls her eyes.

"Don't tell me what I do or do not want, Deputy. I've had plenty of time to think it over. Or have I misunderstood the looks you've been giving me?" She asks in return her eyes narrowing as if daring Ruby to lie to her and deny it. "Am I really so bad that you won't even consider it?"

Ruby closes her eyes and takes a long breath before leaning back as she feels Weiss try and move in again. "Dammit, it ain't about you. Ah'm not the relationship type. Yer courtin' damaged goods, woman, can't ya see that? All ah've ever brought anyone since that day is misery an ah ain't about to saddle no one else with it. Ah ain't worth yer affections an all ah'll ever do is drag ya down. If'n that's what ya want then fine." Ruby states firmly, her pain swimming in her silver eyes as she waits for Weiss to get off of her so she can get back to making their campsite. Sure she could just push her off but something held her still waiting for the Heiress to pull away first.

"So you're not willing to try because you don't think you're worth it? My Deputy, I didn't peg you for self-hatred. I think I'll be the one to decide if you're worth it or not. Besides, I don't believe you. I don't think you're nearly as broken as you believe yourself to be." She says holding Ruby's gaze as she slowly removes the hand on her shoulder holding her back. "Now that I have your permission…" She says letting her eyes drift closed once more as she closes the gap between them. And as much as Ruby knows she should pull away again she can't bring herself to again as Weiss's hands cradle the back of her head while the other starts to move under the edge of her shirt.

She doesn't know which of them made the first needy sound, but by then Ruby had given up what little resistance she had managed to hold up to that point. Content to let the Heiress have her way and knowing the rich woman would likely change her mind the next morning. For now Ruby wouldn't fight it anymore. She was just so very tired of the cold filling her. Maybe letting some of it go wouldn't be so bad. It was certainly getting harder for her to hide behind lately.

* * *

**~Day seven~**

"Ya know last night was a mistake, right?" Ruby asks looking down at the messy head of white hair pressed against her collarbone the next morning. The blanket and the woman's own cloak smelled of the two and the act they committed long into the night. Ruby had barely managed to get food into herself and the Heiress before Weiss had started back in on her as if eating was an inconvenience.

The head lifts and Ruby is exposed to a bleary eyed glare as nails drag across her ribs making her hiss sharply. "Don't be an idiot. We both enjoyed it and you know it. Now we're going to lay here and I'm going to sleep until the sun is above the horizon or so help me Ruby I will make you regret it."

Ruby blinks at the sudden shift if the heiress' demeanor. "Ah'm just tryin' ta explain to ya that yer better off without me, woman." She tries again, frustration in her voice as Weiss ignores her and lays her head back down. But not before her nails scratch again. Ruby can still feel the lines on her back but what excited her during the throes of passion are now just painful.

"Dammit will ya stop doin that?" The deputy protests, resisting the urge to move and possibly get scratched again.

"On one condition." Weiss offers, not bothering to lift her head this time her fingers gently caressing the area she scratched moments ago in an oddly soothing motion.

"An what's that?"

"You stop being an idiot." The Heiress replies, ignoring the sigh that escapes Ruby as the deputy massages her temples with the hand not trapped under Weiss's body.

"Ya ain't gunna let this go are ya?" Ruby asks letting her mounting irritation show in her voice. And with that question it's Weiss's turn to sigh as she shifts and lifts herself so she's hovering over the Deputy. Bright blue eyes staring with determination into Ruby's own silver orbs.

"No, I'm not. I've spent every day since you rescued me traveling with you. Sharing every meal and a blanket each night. You're far kinder than you let on, Ruby. And I've grown attached to you. Not to mention I know you're interested in me. And I refuse to let you spoil something that could be good for both of us because you feel you aren't 'worthy' of it." Weiss explains before lowering herself slowly a challenging glint in her eye daring Ruby to stop her as she moves to capture the Deputy's lips again.

Ruby just couldn't bring herself to stop it, even as her eyes began to drift closed. Only fluttering open a moment later when Weiss pulls away and sits up abandoning her attempts at regaining sleep. The victorious look on Weiss's face stirs something within Ruby when combined with the beauty's naked body.

It's the conspiratorial wink that tells Ruby just how screwed she is. The Deputy had never intended to feel anything beyond physical attraction for Weiss, and she would admit to herself freely that being with the white haired woman in a carnal fashion had crossed her mind more than once since they began the trek back to Beacon.

She hadn't intended to, but she knew herself well enough to know that she did feel something beyond it. And what was worse was that Weiss knew it too and wasn't planning on just leaving it be like she should. Because as much as Ruby would love to get dressed, and carry on with her life as if nothing had happened. She knew that so long as Weiss kept pushing it. Ruby would never be able to just walk away.

Instead, Ruby sighed again, rubbed her temples and gave Weiss a long look. "Jus'… Make sure ya shake out yer clothes before puttin'em back on."

Ruby might be screwed, and it might very well be a terrible idea. But no one could say she didn't warn the Heiress later.

* * *

**~Day eight~**

Dinner was a quiet affair with neither of the women wanting to interrupt the peaceful silence when the next day they would be arriving in Beacon. Ruby had no doubt that things wouldn't be the same once they made it back to civilization. Instead she was silently cursing herself inside for getting attached to the Heiress at all. The white haired woman had a company to get back to, and Ruby a ranch to keep going.

Two completely different lives that would not mesh well. And Ruby knew for a fact she could never provide a life in the style Weiss was used to. Of course they were doomed from the start.

Instead of dwelling on it however, Ruby fell back on something comfortable and brought out the bottle of whiskey she still had and a pair of sturdy tin cups filling both with the cheap booze before offering one cup to Weiss. Getting sloshed was a proven method to avoid thinking about unpleasant things for Ruby, it could only help now.

She was on her second cup and just placing one of her last cigarettes between her lips when her lap is suddenly occupied by the Heiress who leans in and places her head on Ruby's shoulder.

While holding her cup in one hand, Weiss uses the other to play with a loose thread on Ruby's collar. "We don't have to go back to Beacon, you know. We could always just go somewhere… else," she offers weakly. "Somewhere the Grimm Gang can't follow. Like my home, I doubt they would try and track us down back east. Father likely wouldn't approve of our relationship but might be willing to look the other way and leave it be if I agree not to pursue the company."

Ruby takes another long gulp of her whiskey and sighs. This was exactly the opposite of what she wanted at the moment. "Ah can't do that an ya know it, Princess. Ain't no doubt she's gunna head onto Beacon lookin' fer me an you. In case you forgot, ah got friends an my sister there. Ah can't jus' leave'em to fend fer themselves when we brought down the gang on'em." She explains before giving a weak chuckle. "'Sides, ah try an pull that stunt and ah'd be in dereliction of duty. Ah'm a Deputy now after all, and it's my job ta get ya back to Beacon."

Weiss gives a soft sigh before lifting her head to pull a brief kiss from Ruby's lips. "I know...That doesn't mean I have to like it. When we get there… there's going to be blood. She'll try to kill you and… I don't want you dead. I only just got you after all."

Ruby gives Weiss a long look with a warm smile attached and leans forward to press her forehead against that of the Heiress. "Ah'm countin on it. Ah know ya probably ain't happy with my vengeance fixation, but come hell or high water, ah'm gettin' my pound of flesh from that woman. She's taken too much from me to just let it go now. But ah'll tell ya what, ya promise me one night with ya in a real bed afterwards an ah'll promise ta come out of it alive."

Weiss gives a weak chuckle at that before nodding. "Alright, I'm holding you to that promise Deputy. I've got your word and I've been told you're the honest type."

They spent that night the same way they had every night while traveling together, in each others arms. Drawing what comfort they can and giving just as much in return.


	7. The Calm

Beta read by: Crescent Sunrise

**Chapter 7: The Calm  
**

As they approached town Ruby finds herself on high alert, her eyes cutting around the empty street carefully, looking for anything out of place. It was unlikely that Cinder and her gang would have beaten Ruby to the town, given their headstart and direct path. The only reason she would believe Pyrrha made it before them was the hurry the Marshall was travelling in and the fine state of her stallion before they parted ways.

That damn horse could gallop for hours before needing a rest. While Ruby wouldn't trade Dahlia for another horse, there was nothing to stop her from appreciating them.

The town was quiet, not the silence that would point to it being abandoned or cleared out however. Animals still made noise and she could see people moving their curtains to check the street on occasion. As much as she wanted to head right over to the Little Ember, Ruby instead went for the mayor's office. She did have a job to finish after all.

She pulls the horse to a stop and leaps off before lifting her hand to help the Heiress down. The way the woman's hand lingers within Ruby's grasp brings that warmth she's come to link directly with Weiss's presence right to her chest. A smile tugs on her lips as she gives a soft squeeze to the reluctant fingers before pulling away so she can tie Dahlia's reigns and head inside.

Ruby guides Weiss into the building and right to Ozpin's office ignoring how Glynda stands from her desk to follow them inside. Ruby finds herself thinking just how everything is exactly the same as it was when she left. Realistically, Ruby knows her mission took nearly three weeks to complete and not much would have changed in the small town during that time. But for the Deputy, it felt both much longer, yet far shorter.

To the Mayor's credit, he doesn't seem to react much to the short woman barging into his office beyond glancing up and smiling with a relieved look on his face. "Miss Rose, it's good to see you back and safe, and I see you've also brought back Miss Schnee. The town thanks you for your hard work. I know you might not really care about it, but, in order to make everything official I have your reward for the bounty here." He states moving his seat back as he stands, leaning lightly on his cane as he moves around his desk and offers her an envelope.

When Weiss looks at Ruby with obvious confusion Ruby chuckles weakly. Rubbing the back of her head as she takes the envelope. "Ahh, Marshall only made me her Deputy to force me to do things her way after ah took a bounty listin' to bring ya back. Only way ah could go after Cinder all legal-like. Otherwise ah coulda been arrested for actin' as a vigilante." Ruby admits softly tucking the money into a pocket.

"Well, I expect you'll be needing to talk to your sister and the Marshal. I'm sure you don't need my help finding Miss Xiao Long, and Miss Nikos has taken up temporary office in the jailhouse. She should be there around now." Ozpin moves back behind his desk and looks out the window facing the town's main road. Before they can leave he turns his head and speaks over his shoulder. "And Miss Rose, I'm aware of what could be coming to our town. I want you to understand that no one here holds you accountable for anything that might happen as a result of your rescue of Miss Schnee."

For a moment no one moves as the words sink into the empty air, hanging heavily with the possibility of what might be coming even then. The silence is broken by a tired sigh from the silver eyed woman as she nods and turns around heading back outside with Weiss behind her, leaving Glynda and Ozpin alone in the office.

* * *

The walk to the jailhouse is silent until Weiss realizes who they're going to see first. "You don't want to go see your sister first? I thought you might want to see her before anything else." Weiss asks with no small amount of trepidation. She wasn't certain how that meeting would go, if the woman was anything like her younger sister Weiss was expecting a gloomy and stern woman, withdrawn and short with others. But from what little Ruby has spoken of her past, she always seemed to warm a little when talking about her sister. A small note of pride entering her voice and shining in her eyes that you wouldn't notice if you weren't looking at the small changes.

Weiss was sure she would like the older sister.

Ruby chuckles at the question and glances sidelong at Weiss with amusement. "Ya seem awful eager to meet mah overbearin' an protective big sis. Ya some kinda glutton fer punishment, Princess?" Ruby asks with a small smirk growing on her lips.

Perhaps not, than.

Suddenly, Weiss felt rather nervous for her impending meeting and immensely grateful they would be meeting the Marshall first and delaying the potential threat of an angry older sister. Especially the older sister of Ruby, the same young woman who threatened to 'knock her teeth out' the night they first met.

Ruby lasts all of thirty seconds before she lets out a soft laugh, amusement glimmering in her bright silver eyes when Weiss glances over. "Calm down there Weiss, Yang ain't gunna hurt ya. Hell, she might even give ya a few free drinks. She's been attemptin' ta get me ta try for somethin' serious fer years." At that, Ruby pauses and looks over at Weiss who can't decide if she's relieved or irritated.

It's when the words really sink in that Weiss settles on pleased. Hearing Ruby admit to being serious about their relationship causes a fluttering in Weiss's chest that she disguises with a haughty air. Her nose turning upward as she looks down at Ruby. The Deputy smirking back with unrepentant mischief. "Yes well, I'll make an honest woman out of you yet, Ruby." Weiss comments, holding her demeanor as long as she can in the face of Ruby's amusement before letting go of the building laughter.

As they enter the jailhouse Pyrrha spots them from her place at the sheriff's desk and smiles at the pair as she stands up. "Well, it's good to see you two are doing well. I will admit that I was worried leaving the two of you alone together. Not that I doubted my Deputy's ability to get here safely with you Miss Schnee, but when I left, the two of you were not exactly… enamored with the idea." Pyrrha states and Weiss can only watch as the Marshall looks between them with blatant curiosity.

"Yeah well, we got over it. Now, how's things goin' with tha town? Everyone seems more cautious now at least." Ruby comments waving at the window leading to the street and Weiss moves over to look outside and observe the empty street. At first she didn't see anything out of the ordinary for a little sleepy town in the middle of nowhere at that time of morning. And then she realized.

There was nothing out of the ordinary because there was absolutely no one outside.

Even in this small of a town there would normally be someone out at the very least. but doors were shut, windows were curtained, and everything gave a very desolate sort of feeling. Almost like the town was abandoned.

The little things gave it away, horses still tied up, curtains rustling behind closed windows. Little signs of life that pointed to people still living here.

"I've warned them and just like you said Miss Rose, they've armed themselves. The teacher, Miss Belladonna, has the children at the Little Ember taphouse with your sister. There was some debate over that or the church house but well… the bar has rooms, beds, and armed workers. That more than anything determined where they would go. I was surprised that the teacher would defend your sisters honor so adamantly to the Mayor's aide like that but then I realized they seem rather close." Pyrrha comments before turning to Weiss.

"Sorry Ma'am, I didn't mean to leave you out of the discussion. Don't worry though I will have you out of here well before the gang shows up I promise you." Pyrrha offers and Weiss turns to glare at Ruby even while her words are directed to the Marshall.

"That won't be necessary, I do not intend to go anywhere until this has all been dealt with." The Heiress replies her eyes narrowing at the Deputy when she sees the protest forming on Ruby's lips. "Besides, just because she hasn't attacked the town yet does not mean she doesn't have anyone watching the roads. Until this is all over, the safest place for me is here in town." She adds crossing her arms under her chest.

For nearly a full minute Weiss and Ruby stand there, glaring at each other just waiting for the other to back down before turning their eyes to Pyrrha leaving the bewildered redhead on the receiving end of both glaring women and distinctly uncomfortable about it.

"Well, Miss Schnee isn't wrong. Much as I am willing to get her on a carriage out of here as quickly as we can with a few hands guarding it. We would be in a much better position having her staying with your sister and keeping those men in town." Pyrrha admits as Ruby's glower deepens while Weiss grins in triumph.

When Ruby doesn't seem to getting over it Weiss rolls her eyes and leans into the shorter woman, her head lowering to whisper softly, letting her lips trail gently against the shell of Ruby's ear. "You knew I wasn't going to just give in that easily. Besides, I can't keep my promise afterwards if I'm not here to do so."

When she draws back she has to hold back a few chuckles at the tint of red she can see creeping up Ruby's neck. When Weiss fails to move away from her place next to Ruby, gently leaning against the shorter woman Pyrrha starts to gain a spark of realization, her eyes narrowing as she glances between Weiss and Ruby again before snorting in amusement.

"Look, ah'm sure ya think ya figured out somethin' interestin' an ah ain't sayin' yer wrong. But ah think we might wanna stay on track here." Ruby comments before perking up and reaching for the badge attached to her waist. She looks at the Deputy badge a moment before putting it on the desk and sliding it over to Pyrrha who takes a long moment to look at it before pushing it back.

"Sorry Deputy, there's still work to be done. I can't have a civilian assisting me overtly in the apprehension of a criminal element." Pyrrha replies with a smile. "And I get the feeling the only thing I could do in order to keep you from getting involved is to lock you up in that cell." She adds waving at the barred cell in the jailhouse.

"What about the townsfolk? Ya gunna have ta lock'em up for defendin' the town?" Ruby asks in confusion as she takes the badge back without hesitation.

"There's nothing I can arrest them for when it comes to defending life and home. Unfortunately you would fall under that as well but you don't live in the town." Pyrrha explains relaxing back in her chair with a serious expression.

Weiss herself would admit to feeling a little out of place when Ruby and Pyrrha started to talk about how they were planning on defending the town and who was doing what to help. But she couldn't help that for all she knew about Ruby, the shorter woman seemed to be perfectly in her element working to protect the town.

The Heiress is quite certain that if someone were to call Ruby a simple ranch owner they would only be half right. There was nothing simple about the girl who caught Weiss's attention after all.

* * *

Ruby and Weiss were approaching the Little Ember taphouse and the Deputy couldn't help the small chuckle that escapes when she sees how nervous the Heiress looks walking next to her. "Ya know, ah really was just messin' with you Princess. My sister's gunna love ya. Well, at the very least she ain't gunna hurt ya none." She comments to try and reassure the woman next to her who seems to be trying to hide within Ruby's cloak.

What she gets in return is a baleful glare. "This is entirely your fault, Ruby, I was fully prepared to make her acquaintance until you implied she might be less than pleased with our relationship. Now I can't stop worrying about it. So you will remain between me and her until my worries are assuaged?" Weiss replies and Ruby blinks at the expansive vocabulary before shaking her head ruefully.

"Alright Princess, Ah've kept ya safe so far. Ah'll keep the mean bartender from hurtin' ya." Ruby returns opening the swinging door to the taphouse and holding it for Weiss who stops and glares at Ruby before pointing at the entrance stubbornly.

Shaking her head and smiling Ruby walks inside ahead of Weiss and then tries to hold the door open once more, this time Weiss does enter the building looking around openly from within Ruby's cloak.

"Ruby, is that you?" Comes the much excited voice of her sister and Ruby barely has time to turn towards the bar when she is pulled into an embrace, her face pressed into Yang's chest as her sister hugs her a little too tightly for comfort.

She can't bring herself to resist however at the relief she can hear in her sisters voice and submits herself to the hug, patting Yang's back in return until she's released again to the grinning face of her sister. "Ah said ah would be back. Did ya keep that bottle fer me?" Ruby responds and chuckles as Yang gives her a shove.

"Yeah yeah, I've got it. It's good to see you back, Sis. Who's the girl? You pick her up on your rescue mission to save the Heiress and couldn't leave her alone?" Yang asks wagging her eyebrows suggestively and Ruby can see the joke in her eyes.

Unfortunately the only response Ruby can offer to that accurate assessment is to cough awkwardly and look anywhere but into her sister's eyes. And then immediately kick herself for it. She wasn't acting like herself and Yang would obviously notice. As much as Ruby might be tempted to wear that familiar cold mask now, she couldn't manage it anymore, and being without it in front of her sister has her feeling exposed.

When Ruby risks a glance at her sister she spots the shocked look on her face and groans softly at what she's done by acting out of character. Yang wasn't the smartest woman in town, but she had always been sharp as a tack, especially when it came to reading Ruby. Ruby can only watch as Yang's eyes cut from Ruby to Weiss in suspicion before she reaches out for the cloak still hiding Weiss's features only to come up short when the Heiress steps away and firmly plants Ruby between them.

That actually gets Ruby to chuckle again. A soft sound that slowly increases until Ruby is laughing outright. And doesn't that make her feel as awkward when she finally gets herself under control, all sound in the taphouse has died and she finds everyone staring at her like she'd grown a second head.

Shifting uncomfortably she buys herself a moment to think without having to talk by nervously pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. After a long pull from the cancer stick, she exhales and turns to Yang. "Seems y'all ain't got much to gawk at if'n me laughin' sends everyone's jaws to the floor. Mind gettin' that bottle fer me? Ah'll share it with ya." Ruby mentions, reaching behind her to take one of the pale hands under the cloak in her own.

When Yang nods and heads back behind the bar Ruby winces as a finger jabs her in the ribs. "Introduce me you idiot!" is hissed at her quietly from under her cloaks hood.

"Right right, Yang, this here's Weiss Schnee, the Heiress ah went on that rescue mission for. We decided ta try and make a go of it while on our way back." She says without preamble or explaination and Yang nearly trips over herself before looking at the hooded girl through squinted eyes. When Weiss shifts nervously, Ruby sighs and rolls her eyes before reaching over and pulling the hood back exposing Weiss's face and hair to the bartender's scrutiny.

Yang cuts her eyes from Weiss to Ruby, and back again as her hand moves under the counter of her bar before huffing and setting a bottle filled with the best quality whiskey the bartender had to feed her sister's vice. A promise was a promise after all. "Ya know she's gunna be devastated, Rubes."

That gets a sigh out of Ruby as she rubs her forehead missing to look of surprise and growing anger from Weiss.

"Ah know, but ah never lied to her about nothin', ah wasn't lookin' an ah would never be anythin but a weight 'round her neck. Ah told her as much too, ain't my fault she hung on to the chance long as she did." Ruby replies, only just beginning to grow worried about the silence from the Heiress next to her.

"An you won't be a weight to this one?" Yang retorts, pointing at Weiss while giving Ruby a skeptical look.

"Hell yes ah will, an ah told her as much! She's jus' too damn stubborn to listen to reason." Ruby complains before finally taking a look at Weiss and the obvious irritation at being left out of the loop causes Ruby to wince. "Look, ah promise to explain later" She declares quietly even as Yang looks on, not even trying to hide her amusement watching Ruby try to placate the annoyed city woman.

"Sounds like a perfect match to me then, you two are either goin' ta get along real well or yer liable ta kill each other by the end of tha week." The blonde comments unhelpfully earning herself a look of exasperation from Ruby that makes her grin widen considerably as she practically preens under her sisters grumbling.

"Yang? Did I hear Ruby just now?" The preening ends abruptly when that voice calls out and all three turn their attention to the two women coming down stairs from the living area. One with dark black hair that walks ahead and slips behind the bar counter like she belongs there and leans into the side of the now blushing but very happy owner.

The other however only seems to have her eye on Ruby or the Heiress next to her. Or more specifically, the red cloak Weiss has yet to remove from her person. She moves at a more sedate pace than the besotted school teacher and is only just getting off the stairs when Blake makes it to Yang. "So yer back…"

The words were spoke at a barely audible tone but the way the entire bar fell silent as she made her way down someone a drop of water would have been heard clearly. Ruby winces again as the headache she had been fending off earlier announces its presence, gleefully hammering a beat against her forehead. Ruby hadn't wanted to deal with this. She was hoping to be far away when someone else told May so she wouldn't have to see her dear friend sad. Not that anyone else would notice. Her face was impassive as she approached. The look only softening as she turned her full attention to Ruby herself. But even then it was different than it had been before, there was a sadness in that eye mixed with a hurt Ruby herself could do nothing to heal.

"Uh, yea. Heya May, Blake, this here's Weiss, the Heiress that came through a couple'a weeks back." Ruby mentions awkwardly as she forces herself to turn away from that look. As much as she wished she could do something for the woman who held her tightly as Ruby wept and helped muffled the screams of rage that escaped when Ruby had first confronted the pain of her parents passing. She knew there was nothing she could do or say now that wouldn't undermine everything she had started to build with Weiss and would only hurt the Heiress in doing so. And that was something Ruby knew she would never do. She just hoped someone would be there for May in the days to come.

"Yes, we are aware. You went off to save her and we've all been taking turns helping out at your ranch with Fox. He should still be there now, he was yesterday when me and Yang went out last. Velvet volunteered to help out this morning so she should be on her way out there now." Blake replies trying to steer the conversation to something lighter.

"It's good to see ya again, Ruby. I… We were all worried about ya. I jus…" May starts as if neither had ever spoken. And her voice forces Ruby to return her gaze to the crushed comfort girl. "I need to ask. For myself more than anything else. Why not me?" She says and Ruby feels her chest hurt watching the soft and caring woman in pain.

Still it wasn't a conversation she wanted to have. It was also one she knew she couldn't avoid. "If'n ah'm bein' honest. It coulda been you. Ah jus' didn't deserve it, still don't really. Ah ain't good for either of ya. Only difference is that the Princess here doesn't take no for an answer. Took my heart for herself despite how hard ah tried to convince her otherwise." She says wincing as she catches a light jab in the ribs for it from an irritated Weiss. The Heiress had shut down all attempts at self deprecation and warning from Ruby until now, and the Deputy could already tell she would be getting an earful for it later.

The exchange between them is not lost on May nor the two behind the bar and she looks for a long moment at the cloak around Weiss's shoulder even as the woman wearing it turns in her direction. And Ruby watches as May takes a deep breath, closing her eye for a moment before catching the Heiress's eye. "I'll jus' say -"

What ever she had been about to say though is interrupted as a panicked Velvet bursts through the door. Her eyes darting around before spotting Yang and rushing over. Her voice trembling as she speaks. "The ranch is on fire. I didn't see Fox anywhere around. The whole building had gone up by the time I got there."

Her words are punctuated by the sound of a glass shattering on the floor and Ruby only vaguely notices the fact that it had been hers. White hot fury had taken the place of the emotions she was confronted with only a few moments before as her teeth clench painfully. Her feet already carrying her towards the door as her hand gripped the gun at her waist. She went to the town first and that was apparently a mistake. One she paid for with her home and quite possibly her best friend.

There would be no one to stop Ruby from killing her this time. Even if it meant she had to hurt some of her loved ones to get them out of her way.


	8. High Noon at Beacon

Beta read by: Crescent Sunrise

**Chapter 8: High Noon at Beacon  
**

Pain, occasionally numbed by unbridled rage, was Cinder's entire world. Everything within her demanded that she reap a terrible vengeance on the red cloaked woman, and she intended to do just that.

Even if she had to do it alone.

Word of her condition had spread through her ranks and no manner of controlling tactics she could think of would stop them from turning on her now. Promise of a big haul would no longer silence the dissent and if she tried to quell it with violence now, they would turn on her all the more swiftly.

So she left them behind. Sure they might follow her, but there wasn't anyone among them that could coordinate the rest effectively. And with her dying soon, they would more likely just turn around and go back. Her gang would fall apart as someone else tried to rise up and take the reigns, and it was all Rose's fault.

And it had to be Rose didn't it?

Her mother's attack on the Rose Ranch marked the end for her generation of the gang. The final act that lead to the local law enforcement riding out in force and arresting or killing every member in the gorge. Only a handful, including Cinder herself managed to get away, and it took her years to rebuild. Only for the gang to meet its end once more in events centered around the Rose family name.

But at this point Cinder was dead set on history repeating itself. Before they had taken the cattle, burned their mark into the field and killed the couple who lived there. Her mother shouldn't have let the girl get away that day. It was sloppy, but it also meant that now with her gang soon to fall, she was in the position to make everything happen just the same as before.

The end of the Grimm Gang would be marked by the death of a Rose.

Pain lanced from her infection and spread throughout her body bringing a fresh wave of utter hatred in its wake as she made it to the top of a hill and gazed down at the familiar sight of the Rose Ranch. The only differences from her memory of the place is the lack of cattle in the field, the pair of grave markers under the tree, and the indian man sitting on the porch.

The thought of possibly getting her hands on the husband first had her lips curling in a feral grin as she approaches on her horse.

As she draws closer her eyes narrow when his head perks and tilts away for a moment at her approach before his head turns roughly in her direction but not quite. As if he were looking behind her. Surely enough when Cinder glances back there is no one there and she peers carefully at the man before noticing the clouded eyes marking his affliction.

As she dismounts and approaches him he stiffens and turns his head to track her. "I have not heard your steps before. Are you one of Yang's girls, ma'am? There's not much left to take care of today. May was here earlier and did the milking while I fed the chickens." He comments and Cinder blinks and shakes her head at the ease of it all.

"That's right. I'm here to do a bit of cleaning inside. Don't want Miss Rose returning to a home covered in dust." She states with confidence as she walks by him and into the house as if it were her own. Her eyes taking in the plain interior. It looked simple in design with one large room containing a dining table, a small kitchen area in the corner with four doors leading off to other rooms.

Cinder takes her time opening the doors, finding a pantry first before noting three bedrooms. One a simple room with only a bed inside that had been slept in recently. The largest room that Cinder had assumed would be Ruby's was instead the oddest. It was decorated with a number of small personal effects. Little things that spoke of a couple living in it like the pair of wardrobes on either side of the bed. The oddest thing about the room was how it looked as if it had not had an occupant in years. The floor was coated in a thick coat of dust and the door squealed on its hinges from disuse.

Cinder closed the door to that room after looking around for only a moment. It was clearly the room the parents inhabited. Cinder wasn't sure if she was amused that the woman was still tormented by the memory of that day or infuriated that she was brought low by someone so pathetic.

Turning to the last room, she enters and notes it's spartan decoration. A box of forty-five long colts sit on a dresser alongside an empty shot glass and a box of cigarettes. As she opens the drawers she discovers simple clothing. And in the wardrobe a collection of dresses that seem to have been left to the moths and all of which seemed to small for the woman that shot her.

Cinder walks back into the main area of the house and palms her gun for a moment, her eyes cutting to the entrance where she can hear the soft squeaking of the chair the Indian was sitting in. She could kill him and walk away, but if she did, she might not be able to get close to the town before she was riddled with bullets. She needed more than the woman's anger to ensure Cinder would get a shot at her. She needed insurance.

Plan in mind she went over to the stove and grabbed the metal kettle before moving back to the door and calling out to the man. "Hey! I'm about to make some coffee, would you like a cup?" She asks as she steps out onto the porch completely.

She doesn't wait for the answer as she swings the kettle with as much force as she can manage. Thankfully it catches the man in the temple and sends him to the ground. She leans down to check his pulse and ensure he's still alive before hitting him again to make sure he's actually unconscious before tossing the kettle aside and grabbing his leg to drag him off the porch and away from the house.

The first thing she does is bind his hands together before heading back into the house and taking

a long look around. Ruby Rose took her home from her? It's only fair she return the favor.

* * *

Above the small town of Beacon the sun beat it's heat down from directly above. A warmth that was muted by the chilled wild heralding the beginning of a winter on its way. On either side of the street leading out of town windows were cracked with gun barrels pointed outward, aimed in the direction of Rose Ranch. But there were two standing side by side in the center of that street each with a star on their chest and a gun at their waists.

One stood with an air of authority, her hand resting on the gun at her waist as she peers down the road in front of her. Her drive was a sense of duty she'd had stirring in her chest as long as she could remember. She could have joined any police force in any city. Become the sheriff of any rising town needing one. Instead her drive had her joining the Marshal service. A position that let her go anywhere she was needed and protect anyone she could. It was everything she had ever wanted.

The other stood with rage boiling in her chest. A fiery anger that had been a smoldering ember refusing to be snuffed out and burned cold until it reignited more recently. The years between having done little to temper the wild hate that now spits and hisses within the short womans chest. Especially now with the target of all that negatively nearby. She'd lost her parents both when the fire was first lit, and now she had lost the home she shared with them. She was convinced that no matter what happened at this point. One of them would have an appointment with the undertaker.

Slowly a silhouette appears on the horizon ambling lazily towards the town revealing a dying woman with a glint of madness in her eyes riding on a horse with a rope connecting the saddle horn to the wrists of a body stumbling behind only to trip and hit the ground. His body dragged along the road until he manages to get back to his feet. The woman paying him no heed as she pulls the horse to a stop and dismounts.

A swift hit to the animals rear has it moving away after she's taken the rope and moves behind her captive her gun pressing into his back to force him to continue forward. She moves without concern directly behind him her eyes moving around the town spotting the barrels of guns aimed at her from the windows of homes and stores all around her. No one has fired yet and she spots more than a few shifting to look behind her for her men.

When Ruby's eyes meet Cinder's the former growls deep in her throat, her hand tightening on her pistol grip as the latter grins widely in demented amusement. The sight of Fox looking worn and bruised is enough to stop Ruby's gun from clearing leather.

It's the Marshall that speaks first breaking the stalemate between the two women. "Cinder Fall, I am Marshall Nikos. I order you to stand down, drop your weapon and submit yourself to my authority until such time I can hand you over to receive a proper trial for your crimes." She states clearly, the hand not on her own side arm reaching behind her to pull a pair of manacles connected to a chain from her belt making her intentions clear.

There's a pause as the madness seems to flee Cinder for a moment to be replaced by sheer incredulity. But that lucidity didn't last long as the crazed expression came back swiftly and she started to laugh helplessly. Her eyes tearing up in mirth. "Oh… oh boy. Hahahaha. Marshall you can't be serious. Do you really think I'm going anywhere with you? Well, maybe. Unless you two want to see this Injun's head opened up though, you're going to drop your gun and back away. My business here is with the Rose woman. After that, I don't really care."

There's a tense silence as no one moves, broken by Cinder shrugging and the audible click of the hammer being drawn back on her pistol. The barrel moving from between Fox's shoulders to the back of his head. "Go ahead, you know as soon as you kill me they will kill you." He states leaning his head back to press against the gun only to grunt when she kicks the back of his leg, forcing him to his knees.

"Shut up, you're only part in this is to keep still and quiet. We're coming up on the closing act and I won't have you getting in the way." Cinder states before grinning right at Ruby once more. "I see you're tempted to draw right now, but do you really think you'll be able to even clear leather before I pull the trigger?"

As infuriated as Ruby is she still won't risk her friend to the madwoman and when she speaks it isn't aimed at the outlaw. "Marshall, ah think ya ought ta do what she says." She states raising her voice afterwards to speak right over the protest already forming. "Ah know, but she's got Fox right there an she's right. We can't take her down before she kills'im. So our only shot is ta play along. She gets me though and the town will make sure she ain't leavin' alive, and she knows it."

There's an obvious conflict in the Marshall's face as she glances between the two women before she looks at Fox on the ground and back to Ruby's Deputy badge. Slowly she puts the manacles on the ground before unhooking her gun belt and setting it down before moving off the street to stand on a nearby porch watching with distaste the events play out before her that she can't see a way of avoiding.

Once that happens Cinder grin widens, showing teeth now as she kicks Fox forward sending him completely to the ground with a thump as she gives Ruby her full attention. "Yeah, this is how it should go. The end of a Fall should be marked by the death of a Rose. It happened with our mothers. And it's only fitting history repeat itself considering that all of this is your fault. I just wanted to take the girl, sell her back to her family, make a lot of money and be on about my way but no. You shot me, took the girl, and cost me all my people. And now, it's time to make you pay for it."

Ruby watches as Cinder holsters her pistol, the shorter woman pulling back the hammer on her peacemaker while it's still in the holster. The two staring each other down in silence as they make small shifts in balance, fingers wrapping around grips more firmly as they scan each look for the right moment with the sun crawling through the sky above. An unearthly silence fills the area as if the whole world was holding it's breath for the two women.

And just as suddenly the moment passed and hands sprung into action, the sounds of metal sliding against leather as pistol are pulled from their holsters. Eyes widening as the two lift their arms.

Then a shot rings out. And it's the Rose that fall backwards to the ground. Her back hitting with a thud that kicks up the dust in the street and the world goes silent again save to the insane cackling of the outlaw who drops her pistol from her hand in her exuberance. As a cloud of dust obscures the cooling corpse of the young woman who dared to try for her revenge. Cries call out from all sides as Cinder merely puts her wrists together goading the Marshall to take her away.

It's a short lived joy though for Cinder as right after the cloud starts to clear a shot rings out and a hole opens up in her chest. The bullet punching right through her heart, leaving her wide-eyed in shock as she lifts her head in a jerking motion to stare at the woman laying on her back with her peacekeeper lifted and a feral grin on her lips.

"N-no I.. I got you…" Cinder protests weakly before first falling to her knees, and then to the side as what dwindling strength she clung to tears itself away from her with every surge of blood from her wound. Fall dies before her face hit the ground and the Deputy that killed her slowly lifts herself to her feet dusting herself off after holstering her gun.

"Sorry ya crazy bitch. Ah got a promise ta make good on."

She barely has the chance to look away when a blur of white hair dressed in red hits her chest knocking the Deputy back to the ground at the Heiress grabs fistfuls of her shirt and looks her over with a frantic worry.

"Ruby! Are you alright!? I saw you fall and I thought mmph!" Was All Weiss managed to get out before a small hand curls behind her head and pulls her into a kiss. The shorter woman lifting her head at first only to lower it as she feels Weiss relaxing and melting into it. A small smile escaping Ruby's lips when she hears her lover give a soft and happy sigh.

When Ruby finally breaks the kiss she does so slowly. Her eyes catching and holding onto those belonging to her affectionate Heiress when the bright blues flutter open. "Mmm, Ah'm fine Princess. Knew there was no way a ranch girl like me could outdraw that woman so ah dropped to avoid tha shot. Worked better'n ah thought it would."

It seems however that the worry was all that held back the rich womans anger, as once she was absolutely certain Ruby was just fine her brows immediately furrowed and the happy smile on her lips following their kiss turned into a scowl while her voice raised to the screeching pitch that drove Ruby up a wall when they first met. "Idiot! Don't scare me like that! I have half a mind to shoot you myself for doing that to me!"

"Well, ah mean ya could but there're some folks wouldn't take too kindly to that an ah doubt ah'll be much fun tonight if'n ya did." Ruby replies. Smirking up at the taller woman pinning her to the ground. Barely managing to keep herself from waggling her eyebrows like a lusty john visiting Yang's place trying to be smooth with one of the comfort women.

"Fun?" Weiss asks, her eyes blinking owlishly for a moment only to narrow again when Ruby begins to chuckle underneath her.

"Don't tell me ya forgot our deal, Princess. Ah came outta this alive, ya know what that means. Don't make me say it in front of mah sister and the Marshall now." Ruby states and this time she does waggle her eyebrows to emphasis her words and it seems to get through when Weiss's cheeks color a bright red. A sight that Ruby can't resist grinning at even as her sister and Pyrrha stand over the pair looking down. The first trying to hide her amusement by glaring suspiciously at the Heiress still entangled with Ruby and the latter left confused and voicing it..

"You two made a deal? About what?"

Weiss, refusing to let Ruby reveal the details of their arrangement breaks in when she sees the Deputy open her mouth with a glint of mischief in her eyes rushes to speak first unable to hide the redness on her face. "W-well, I refuse to let you spread the rumor that a Schnee does not keep their promises."

"Uh huh, that's surely tha only reason…" Ruby offers trailing off when Weiss gives her a warning look, wisely choosing not to push the Heiress further. "On that note, Yang! Looks like Ah'll finally be usin' that room ya set aside for me longer than a night till ah can get tha' ranch rebuilt." She offers to her sister when she's finally allowed to her feet. Once more brushing dust and dirt from her clothing.

"Well Rubes, ya know yer welcome to it. Stay as long as ya want. Or, ya know, forever." Yang offers without a hint of subtlety getting a sigh and a shake of the head from her younger sister. "Ah'll have Velv run a bath for you two. An ah suppose you'll need a room too, Miss Schnee?"

At that Weiss looks from the Yang who seems simply curious to Ruby who seems far to amused and not at all willing to bail her out of the situation. Forcing Weiss to blush as she clears her throat softly.

"I don't think that will be necessary Miss Xiao Long. I don't believe I will have any trouble finding accomodations for the night." she replies with every bit of grace she can manage at the moment. A task made exceedingly difficult when Ruby snorts and shakes her head.

"C'mon Princess, she knows full well ah ain't lettin ya get away from me now. Let's go get cleaned up. Yang, get Fox to the doc would ya? He ain't gettin' back up an ah think he's passed out from the exhaustion. Ah can see him breathin' from here. "

* * *

Cool orbs of dull silver open slowly before closing again as a low groan escapes the woman. A hand lifting to cover her eyes from the sunlight streaming from the window next to the bed. She grumbles incoherently as she shifts, hoping to get just a little more time in her place of comfort rather than rise and greet the day ahead. A half empty bottle of the whiskey her sister provided sits on the nightstand along side two empty glasses, combined with the clothing left on the floor and the warm body wrapped around her there's an unspoken story of the night before that Ruby smiles softly remembering.

She slowly cracks her eyes open as they adjust to the light of the room, before lowering her blanket and gently shifting the arm wrapped around her waist aside before moving to sit up on the edge of the bed. Her hand grips a crumpled box of cigarettes on the nightstand before shaking it and opening the top, taping out one of the sticks of sweet tobacco before replacing the box on the stand for the lighter that had been left next to it.

With a flip of the top she strikes the flint a few times before shaking it and trying again, her head shaking for a moment before a pair of pert breasts press into her bare back. Pale arms reaching around her, hugging her gently with one hand while the other reaches up and plucks the unlit smoke from Ruby's lips.

"I had my first hot bath in weeks last night. Then let you convince me that our rather exerting past time would be even more fun when we were both clean for it. You were right but I had to bathe again right after. I'm not about to let you smoke right now and get the smell of it in my hair. The water is likely to be cold now." The white haired woman whispers directly against the shell of Ruby's ear causing a shudder to run through the shorter woman.

As if directly in opposition to her statement however the hand that stole Ruby's smoke then began sliding teasingly up along the Deputy's stomach to gently cup a breast. The touch is soft and tender as it tries to tempt her back into the warmth of the sheets she just pulled herself from.

She pauses, seeming to contemplate the silent offer as she glances back over her shoulder. Amused despite herself to see Weiss tempting her as she is while complaining about a little smoke. "Ya know what ya say an what ya do are tellin' completely different stories, right Princess?" Ruby asks, letting the Heiress pull her back down onto the comfortable mattress where the first reply is partnered with an imperious look.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. One is refusing to let you poison your lungs and force me to bathe in cold water to get the smell of it out. The other is to give you a chance to make the cold water worth it. Or was last night all my sweet Deputy can manage?" Weiss asks with more than a little challenge in her gaze.

"What are ya on about now? Smokes're harmless." Ruby asks giving Weiss an odd look even.

"Not according to doctor Benjamin Rush." Weiss counters only to be met with a blank look in reply. "Benjamin Rush? Founding father of the United States? Signed the Declaration of Independence? He's the most famous physician to have lived in this country." At Ruby continued blank stare Weiss sighs and shakes her head before giving Ruby a fond look and moving closer.

As Weiss's leg crosses over Ruby's waist and the Deputy watches white hair curtain around her she finds her breath caught for a moment staring up at the Heiress. It takes her a moment before she can respond anywhere near intellectually. "Ya know ah'm Pyrrha's Deputy right?" She comments, her mind latching on to the only part of their conversation she has any idea about.

That question gets a smirk from the beautiful woman hovering over her as she slowly lowers her lips back to Ruby's ear, her voice still at a whisper while her warm breath caresses sensitive skin. "And that's where the two of you are mistaken. You are mine Ruby Rose, that much I'm going to make absolutely sure of. You're on loan to Miss Nikos at best."

At that Ruby chuckles and lifts her hands to slide along Weiss's hips before pulling her in tightly. The rest of the world could wait a bit longer.

* * *

It was mid morning before Yang saw the two of them descending from the stairs. Her bar counter catering to both the Marshall and Blake so making an extra few cups of coffee for the two women wasn't any kind of trouble for the blonde. Her temptation to start ribbing the pair was paused however when she saw that her sister looked good, albeit tired in a way Yang would absolutely love to tease her for. No rings under her eyes or the telltale wincing at the light or sound that comes with her usual hangover. Added to that, the way Ruby was smiling was something Yang had started to believe she would never get to see again.

So instead of her usual ribbing Yang settled for setting their coffee on the counter and waggling her eyebrows at her little sister while shooting unsubtle looks at the heiress. An action which is rewarded when Ruby groans and slides her coffee away to make room for her forehead to hit the countertop much to her dear older sisters amusement.

"Miss Schnee, it's good to see you. We're going to head out today. I'll get you to the closest rail station you can use to get home. I'm sure no one will object to you using your families trains to get back home." The Marshall comments and receive a nod from the Heiress while Ruby looks down at her drink before picking it up.

Yang watches as Ruby waves the rest of them off and heads outside, coffee in one hand while the other digs in her pocket for her smokes. She notes the pensive look on the white haired woman's face and waves her hand to get her attention before jerking her head towards the door. Turning her own attention to the black haired beauty watching her with amusement and nearly missing the woman moving to intercept Weiss.

What she hears is… really more than she could have expected from her dejected comfort girl.

"Miss Schnee, hold on a moment. Ruby will take her time nursin' that smoke. She's in a broodin' mood anyhow. I wanted ta finish what I was goin' to say yesterday. It ain't a secret that I've been holdin' a torch for that girl for years. I've made no secret of it. But she didn't choose me, she picked you. An that's a hard pill to swallow." May states, closing her eye and squeezing it shut for a long moment before moving on. "I'll have ta live with that. But don't you trample on that woman's heart. If you ain't plannin' on commin' back to her you tell her now. She don't deserve to wait on a hope for ya. Not like I did waitin' on her."

May shifts for a moment before offering her hand to the Heiress who takes it after a moment of hesitation. After a shake, Yang watches as her comfort girl turns and heads back upstairs. The blonde already preparing to shift her customers elsewhere for the day. As she gazes after May's retreating form.

* * *

Ruby isn't surprised to hear the door open behind her. Having already finished her first smoke on her own and used it to light the second before she set about saddling Dahlia. The Deputy was grateful that she waited before following her since it gave Ruby the time she needed to get a grasp on her emotions.

That line of thought threatened to overwhelm her again so instead she turned her thoughts to more practical matters again. She would have to talk to Yang later to see what her money looked like when she got back. She would need every cent she could get to fix the ranch.

Though perhaps she could ask the tribe for help, between saving Fox and offering the tribe's elderly and newborns someplace warm in the winter in return she might be able to get him to agree and avoid having to pay for workers. That would certainly help her out might even be enough to get her on her feet when coupled with her reward for bringing Weiss back.

"So, are you going to just ignore me now?" Comes the cultured and more thickly accented voice than normal behind her. That gave Ruby a clue to Weiss's own emotional state. The Heiress was perfectly capable of speaking english rather fluently with only the slightest hint of her germanic accent normally.

"Nope, ya ain't said anythin' yet. How could ah have been ignorin' ya when ya ain't said nothin'?" Ruby replies pausing in her saddling for a moment as she closes her eyes to take a few deep breaths. "Look, ah gotta go see what the damage is like at the ranch. Got a lotta rebuildin' that needs doin' if ah'm gunna get it fixed up before the cold turns bitter an the world ain't gunna stop spinnin' jus cause ah wanna dream a little longer." She adds without turning around to look at the Heiress.

"Ruby… Stop and talk to me, please?"

Ruby stops her saddling again, her heart twisting on itself painfully at the almost pleading note in the Heiress's tone and she looks over her shoulder at Weiss for a long moment noting how close the woman was to her now. As if she meant to embrace Ruby but stopped herself short. There were so many things Ruby wanted to do or say right then. She wanted to rage and scream and cry and beg. But at that moment the familiar cold she thought she lost in Weiss's presence was there and wrapped around her like an old lover and all she managed to get out was. "Yer leaving, dunno what there is ta talk about."

She didn't mean for it to sound like an accusation. She really hadn't, Ruby knew why Weiss was leaving after all. She understood and didn't think any less of Weiss for doing what she had to do. Perhaps that was part of the problem. Ruby knew she had a lot of hurt but didn't know where to aim it except at herself for being stupid enough to start caring.

It didn't stop Weiss from wincing at the tone and Ruby bit her tongue to keep it from letting out any more as she turned back to her saddle. She couldn't watch Weiss leave with Pyrrha. She couldn't bring herself to do it so she would leave first.

The red cloaked woman froze then when the Heiress bridged the distance between them and wrapped her arms around Ruby, pulling the smaller woman into Weiss's embrace as she whispered softly into Ruby's ear. "I'm coming back, Ruby. You're not escaping me, and I'm not abandoning you. I have to return to the company and my father to finalize everything I left to do out here. And then I'm coming back to you."

Ruby felt herself shudder against Weiss and clung tightly to the cold mask that slipped away from her at Weiss's touch. She felt naked, exposed and vulnerable in a way she hadn't felt in a very long time as fear made her voice tremble when she replied. "Promise me? Ya ain't lied yet, an ah know yer word's good. So promise me yer comin' back?"

"I promise Ruby. I'll be back as soon as I can." Comes the reply immediately. Weiss hadn't even hesitated and Ruby couldn't hear the smallest bit of doubt from the Heiress. So she didn't fight it when the beautiful woman turned her around and lifted her chin.

Ruby blinked when she realized her vision was blurred and stilled again when she felt those soft delicate hands so unlike her own gently wiping beneath her eyes with a soft and warm smile Ruby knew she would pining for every moment the woman in front of her was gone.

When Weiss drew closer, Ruby didn't hesitate to meet her, pushing herself up on her feet to meet the kiss sooner as her eyes drew shut with a soft whimper she knew was her own. She could feel the tears escaping her eyes again but refused to do anything about them as Weiss continued to brush them away without any form of prompting.

Ruby had no idea how long they stood there but when they broke apart her breathing was rough. She looked away to finish strapping the saddle to her horse before turning back and stealing another kiss. "In that case Ma'am, ah got a home ta build. Can't have any princess of mine livin' outta a tap house. Not that there's anythin' wrong with Yang's mind you. Just don't seem right ta me."

With that, the shorter woman pulls herself up into the saddle and smiles down at her lover with hope warming her and bringing life into her eyes. "Oh, need a favor. Give this ta Pyrrha alright? Deputy Rose don't sound right ta me. Town does still need a Sheriff though, what do ya think? Sheriff Rose sounds nice, don't it?" She asks tossing Weiss her deputy badge. And grinning when she watches Weiss roll her eyes.

"Anyone willing to make you Sheriff would have to be desperate." Weiss replies dryly before shaking her head ruefully and looking up fondly at her lover. "But yes, Sheriff Rose does sound good to me. Just make sure it's true when I get back… And don't get killed. I will be very put out if you're not here when I return."

Ruby laughs at that before winking at Weiss and turning Dahlia towards her property. "Don't like makin promises ah ain't sure ah can keep. But for you? Ah'll do everythin' ah can." She replies and sets her horse moving her eyes turning skyward to gaze into the bright blue above as her horse makes its way back home.

She had a lot to tell her parents after all. Wouldn't be right not to catch them up on everything she'd done.


	9. Home on the Range

Beta read by: Crescent Sunrise

**Epilogue: Home on the Range  
**

Returning home had been a stressful experience. And not one Weiss wanted to experience again.

First the public niceties had to be performed as her father took her into his arms in front of a photographer for the city paper his head buried in her shoulder to sell how relieved he was to see her again, since he wasn't actually crying over her safe return.

She knew heading back that a lot of her father's plans were turned on their head and he was likely already working out a way to make sure none of them would back slide. So before he could pull her into his office in an effort to strongarm her, Weiss had needed a plan of her own.

Weiss went into that meeting without any intention of keeping her prior position as the heir apparent to the company. But it was her only bargaining chip and she intended to get as much as she could for it. Mostly things that her older sister had wanted when she passed over the title so Weiss was sure she could at least secure those things herself. It was the other side of it that had her wanting to tug her own hair out trying to get those things without it seeming suspicious.

And then there had been her dear little brother. Well, he was dear to her in a way that translated to several German words that all meant some variation of infuriating. He was a sycophant, always sucking up to their father and polite to everyone, including his sisters in a way that made Weiss's skin crawl.

It was actually when he first started to act so politely that Weiss began to subtly barb him just to make him lose his cool and expose how he really felt on occasion. What she saw there never gave her any kind of real hope for him though. Once the polite mask went down, Weiss only ever saw the barely veiled contempt he held for his older siblings.

And wasn't that a strong indicator of how her father saw herself and her older sister? Considering the only child he ever spent any amount of time personally investing himself in raising was his son, the fact the boy came out so vastly different from Weiss or Winter was quite telling to say the least.

Still, Weiss had a deal to work out and that meant she had to write up a contract specifying exactly what she expected to receive in return for waiving her rights as the heiress to the company. These included five percent of future profits, complete autonomy, a home in a city or town of her choice that she intended to give up in return for the construction of a rail station in the town of Beacon.

Arguing the reason for that last was easier than she expected it to be. She planned to move to the town and already had a home in mind to live at and so wouldn't need a new one built or purchased. But should she have any need to return east, she wanted the station nearby instead of having to ride to the nearest town or city containing one.

Perhaps she should have expected his capitulation to her demands. It's not like she was asking for anything more than her sister had and the inclusion of the rail station was just as well and might have been placed in that town anyway. So where she had expected to argue for the stations inclusion, instead he just looked over all of it and signed at the bottom and told her to have a copy made for the railway planners to include in their designs, and another made for his own files.

A week after that and she was stepping into a carriage laden with her belongings and destined to return to Beacon under armed escort. She couldn't lie to herself and say that it didn't hurt to see her father so willing to be rid of her, but at the same time she can't say she didn't expect the reaction either. It was just hard to come face to face with, she could still see the victorious smirk her little brother had on his face as she left in order to return to Beacon.

Honestly though, she couldn't recall anymore why exactly she had tried so hard before to cling to her position as heiress of the company. Sure it came with money and prestige but there was something far more important that it never provided her, never _could have_ provided.

Happiness.

It was such a small, precious thing she felt and she was even now returning as quickly as she could to the source of her happiness. A certain dark haired woman wrapped in a red cloak was waiting for her and Weiss had already been gone for well over a month. Not to mention the lack of sleep Weiss was subjected to following the week spent in the arms of her lover. At this point the white haired woman would gladly subject herself to sleeping on the ground once more if it meant doing so next to her rescuer.

Not that she would ever admit to such a thing. She did still have her pride to think of after all, and the last thing her Rose needed was to develop an ego.

No, Weiss would remain strong in front of those stunning silver eyes and graciously allow Ruby to share a bed with her once she returned. There she would reward her dear love for waiting so patiently for her and spend the evening reminding the shorter woman just who it was she belonged to. Just in case Ruby had begun to forget.

* * *

Living out of the carriage while travelling was not anything Weiss would have called a fun experience. Certainly the travelling was easier than it had been with Ruby on their return to Beacon but Weiss was missing her dear Rose and was not afraid to admit it.

To herself…

In her mind.

Really it should not have seemed so bad. She had a spacious tent that was assembled each evening with a serviceable cot that kept her off the ground that felt better than the one she slept on during her initial outing for her family's business.

But it wasn't the same. As frustrating and occasionally infuriating as traveling with Ruby had been, Weiss would have traded the tent and the cot to sleep next to the shorter woman again. Her shaded and cushioned carriage for the chance the sit behind Ruby on horseback and wrap her arms around her lover as they ride along.

And the meals… the men she was traveling with could cook well enough but even the taste seemed off compared to the fare served from dried and salted rations the Deputy had in her saddlebags. Despite the higher quality of the supplies.

The former Heiress knew it was in her head. That looking back at her time traveling with Ruby now was done with, the rose tinted vision of fond remembrance and made the rougher moments so easy to minimize and ignore in hindsight.

She knew and it changed nothing. So she lamented every break to rest the horses, every pause for a meal, every lagging morning step in preparing for the day's travel. She lamented, and grew impatient as excitement welled within her gut. Her stomach tensing and coiling as she recalled the words of the comfort girl at the tap house just before she last saw her lover riding away.

May had believed that Ruby would wait on her. Wait for her to come back just like Weiss promised she would. If there were two people in Beacon who knew Ruby Rose, it would be May and her sister, Yang. That kept a warm hope in Weiss's chest that managed to keep her trepidation at bay.

They had hardly known each other a week before she left, and half of that time they were barely even friendly. Giving the former Deputy a month to cool down and think… Would she really still be waiting? The trepidation is what kept Weiss's eagerness and impatience at seeing Ruby again from getting to her head and snapping when one of the men moved to slow or when they stopped too soon for her liking.

Because as badly as Weiss wanted to be reunited with her Rose again, She was damned scared the woman hadn't waited. That Ruby had moved on and Weiss would be left standing in a town that no longer needed her for their benefit, without a reason to stay and nowhere to go back to.

* * *

When the coach driver announced the town was in sight Weiss opened the door of her carriage wide and leaned out to see it for herself. She wasn't sure why or how she had expected the town to be different after she had only been gone for a month, but she had and the fact that it hadn't changed at all in that time made the whole thing rather surreal for her.

In fact the only thing that seemed to have changed at all was the temperature as winter began to make itself known. Doors were closed solid in their frames and the glow of fires shone in windows with smoke trailing up from stone stacks and while there wasn't any snow yet, Weiss could tell there would be soon enough.

She took a moment to direct the driver to the Little Ember tap house before wrapping her clothing tighter to her frame and sequestering herself back inside the carriage away from the biting wind that cut across her cheeks as they traveled.

At least she knew her Rose would be warm under her cloak.

When they arrived, Weiss bundled herself up and stepped out before sparing a glance at where her heart had stopped beating for one terrible moment in time, watching as Ruby fell to the ground before getting back up and dusting herself off when something caught her eye.

The former heiress adopted a curious look as she approached the spot and saw embedded into the ground a stone square with the words 'Cinder's Fall' carved into the top. Weiss herself is rather uncertain how to feel about it or even If she should feel anything about it at all.

"Someone in town thought they were real clever with that. Rube's wasn't too happy 'bout it but people seemed ta like it well enough that she couldn't rightly bring herself to get rid of it." Comes a familiar voice that has Weiss spinning around to look upon a smiling blonde.

"It's good to see you again Ms. Xiao Long. Is she…" Weiss starts before hesitating as too many questions press to be asked first. Is she here? At her ranch? Alright? Happy? Still waiting for me? Angry I left? Willing to forgive me?

The blonde smirks at her in reply to the non-question as if aware of all the questions Weiss wants to ask before chuckling and shaking her head. "It's jus' Yang, Ma'am, an naw. She's at tha ranch. Bigger'n it was before but then again she's got more people stayin' out there with her now. She'll be back in tha mornin' though if'n ya want ta wait here for her. But if ya want ta hurry on out that way ah can hold onto yer thing's." Yang offers an amused look in her eye telling Weiss that there was no doubt that the blonde knew exactly what Weiss would choose.

"Ah would offer ta take ya myself but it seems ah've got a sudden group of customers to manage. Thanks fer that by tha way." The blonde adds pointing with her thumb at the men who escorted Weiss this far and were currently engaged in tying up their horses and heading into the tap house now their job was finished. The former heiress was slightly annoyed they just left her luggage stacked next to the door outside but at least it was on the wooden porch of the building and not sitting in the dirt.

Weiss again attempts to ask a question but eventually just sighs and gives Yang a grateful look. "Thank you Miss… Yang, I think I'll take you up on the offer of your horse. Do you think I could bring it back in the morning should my visit with Ruby extend longer than usual?" She asks at least making an attempt at being circumspect. Honestly she had no intention of coming back at all after finally getting the shorter woman in her arms again.

Her attempt seems to be the straw that breaks Yang's composure as the muscled bartender starts to laugh hard, clutching at her stomach for a moment before wiping at her eye. "Sure thing Weiss, ya send my love along with ya now alright? Have fun with yer 'visit'." The blonde replies choosing to apparently play along with the paper thin reasoning as she saddles her horse Max and leads him over by his reins.

After Weiss mounts the horse though, Yang holds onto the reins for another long moment. "Treat her good alright? Rubes deserves her happiness. She's better'n ah've ever seen her since our parents… Since that day. Ah won't take kindly to her gettin' any worse now. Ya can understand why ah'm a bit nervous ta see ya back."

Weiss pauses before smiling down at Yang. "I promised her Yang, I need to keep it. And there's nothing I will let stand between me and doing so, not even you. I would have walked here if I had to." She admits meeting Yang's gaze for a long moment before the blonde relents and releases the reins, turning her head as a shout goes out from inside her tap house and sighs.

"Ain't even here ten minutes an' already gettin' rowdy. Well, their money'll spend well as anyone else's."

* * *

As the horse moved up the hill Weiss once more had to keep herself from urging Max into moving faster. Despite her rising need to see Ruby's face and every second felt like torture she had a deeply ingrained desire to appear as attractive as she can manage when the time came as well. The wind ruining her hair or being unsteady on her feet following a rushed gallop to the ranch would not help the image.

And then she would debate with herself as to whether looking unhurried would give the wrong impression on her lover. That Weiss wasn't as invested in seeing her Rose as she claimed. Which only made the desire to hurry rise again. It was an agonizing cycle.

Fortunately for her as she crested the hill the Ranch came into view and Weiss let her eyes take in the property completely. The building was new and looked it when compared to the barn, there were a good number of indians moving around the property, their voices little more than a murmur to her ears from her current distance as the horse began its descent towards the property.

Weiss could tell she had made some kind of impact when a few looked her way before hurrying towards the house to talk to another who looked familiar to her, sitting on the porch in a rocking chair. She almost believed him to be asleep if not for how others seemed to talk to him and then head back to whatever they were doing after. She felt the eyes of several of them as she came to a stop before the house.

"Hmmm, you must be Weiss. You have a step I haven't heard before and the tribe tells me you have white hair… She's been waiting for you." States the man in the chair as she began to approach, her gait growing more hurried now that she was away from the horse. It was only the man's words that brought her up short of simply walking inside.

"Is she inside?" Weiss asks her eyes flicking from the familiar looking man to the door and back. As much as she just wanted to go inside and look, it would be rude to ignore the man and she might save time by asking first if Ruby were elsewhere on the property.

The indian man chuckles as his eyes open revealing the whites of the blind staring ahead as his head turns in her general direction. "Hello to you too Ma'am. I'm Fox, we didn't get much of a chance to talk last time we met. I was understandably tired and then unconscious after the forced march from here to town."

That's when his face clicked and Weiss realized why he was so familiar. Though to be fair, Weiss had been more concerned about Ruby at the time. This was the man Cinder had initially used to force Ruby into that duel in the first place.

"My apologies, that was terribly rude of me. Yes, I am Weiss, it's my pleasure to meet you Fox, and I don't mean to be rude but…" Weiss hedges and blushes faintly when he starts to laugh again.

"Alright I understand. Don't want to waste time talking to the blind man when your lady is waiting. That is fair, yes she's inside. Just head in, hallway is on the right, her room is at the end." He replies tilting his head inside and it's all Weiss can do to halt her advance in order to spare him a thanks before rushing in and walking as fast as she can without breaking into a run. Her heart hammering in her chest harder with every step.

She comes to the door and reaches out only to hesitate for a moment, all her fears and doubts crowding around her like invisible hands gripping at her wrist to prevent her from making that one motion to remove the barrier between her and her lover.

But she promised. Whatever else happened after didn't matter in the face of that. Ruby waited, and Weiss trusted her. In the face of that knowledge what did Weiss have to be worried about really?

So gritting her teeth she pushed forward. Turned the handle and flung the door open with more force than she intended. It swung wide on well oiled hinges and crashed into a wall and suddenly Weiss was treated to a sight that left her breathless. She didn't even react to the shout given by the shorter woman that consisted of 'Tha hell?!'

Because inside the room she was there, naked from the waist up and standing, every line on her exactly as Weiss remembered save for the hair. That was a bit longer and the red tips were more faded than Weiss recalled but the silver eyes were there, dulled but still alive. The former heiress could only stand still and stare as her eyes took in every inch of her lover.

Including the gun aimed at her chest, but that was ignored for the moment as unimportant and soon it fell to the ground from nerveless fingers.

Ruby recovered first it seemed, or at the very least she regained mobility first as Weiss watched the shorter woman approach her with faltering steps that grew in certainty as Ruby crossed the room. Mouths moved, words almost started but never forming any sound.

It was with an aching slowness that Weiss witnessed Ruby's hand lifting and slowly moving to caress her jaw. The fingers trembled before spreading over her cheek and down to her neck. And then Weiss was pulled into a hug. Ruby's arms wrapping around her waist tight enough to hurt but at that moment, Weiss didn't care.

As Weiss began to feel wetness on her shirt her arms wound around Ruby's shoulder to hold the dark haired beauty in return and she could feel her eyes watering as her vision began to blur. This of course was unacceptable and she blinked rapidly to clear her vision ignoring the line of tears running down her cheeks as she tried to match the strength of the arms around her waist.

"Ya came back…" Came the muffled voice from her chest before Ruby's grip loosened and she lifted her head letting the former heiress once again look into the pools of silver swimming with emotion.

"Of course I did. I promised you I would. Did you doubt me Miss Rose?"

Weiss watches as Ruby composes herself before grinning back. The shorter woman's head tilting into Weiss's hand as it moves to her face to wipe away the tears. "Ah trusted ya. But there's a small part that kept wonderin' if when ya got back to the cities if you'd change yer mind. Ain't easy livin' out here. 'Specially fer those ain't used to it. An back there ya could have anythin' ya want. Ah can't give you all'a that."

Weiss leans down slightly and captures Ruby's lips in hers leaning their bodies to the side so she can blindly reach for the door handle and gently nudging Ruby further into the room so she can close the door completely as to provide some privacy.

When the kiss is finally broken Weiss nearly lets herself fall into those beautiful expressive eyes again before catching herself and managing a real response. "Ruby, I spent my entire time there surrounded by extravagance and creature comforts. And the entire time all I could think about was how long it would be until I could get back here. It's true though, the company and the cities could get me so many things. But they could never give me you."

Ruby clears her throat after that and wipes at her eyes while Weiss takes a moment to look around the room. Her eyes falling on a bowl holding the red dye Ruby had been about to apply to her hair when the former heiress had barged in. The bed was disheveled but otherwise the room was relatively clean. A red shirt was folded on top of the rumpled sheets and Weiss caught a glint of silver on the front that had her pulling away from Ruby and walking over, her hand reaching out so her fingers could trace the wording on the six pointed star.

"They actually made you Sheriff. I'll say it again, they must have been desperate." Weiss comments turning back to Ruby with an amused look, enjoying the mock affront her lover was giving off.

"Ah'll have you know ah'm a great sheriff. Took down the leader of the Grimm gang an rescued myself a helpless heiress all before ah even took the job. Threw me the badge before I could even finished sayin' ah might be interested. Even got myself a deputy, decent enough guy, good on tha job but a little thick. He's got no idea he's tha reason Marshal Nikos keeps stoppin' by so often." Ruby comments before shaking her head with a smile while Weiss gently lifts the shirt and moves it off the bed before approaching the shorter woman again.

"Ruby?" She states fully aware of the husky edge her tone has taken and doing nothing to cover it up. She was here alone with her Rose and there was nothing to hold her back anymore.

"Yeah?" Ruby replies curiously and Weiss can see the vague surprise there as the sheriff notices her approach.

"I've been gone a month, There will be plenty of time to catch up on the details, but for the moment…" Weiss starts reaching out to run her hand along the bare skin of Ruby's stomach and waist. "I told myself that when I saw you again I would spend the evening reminding you just who you belong to, and of course you're welcome to return the favor. I feel my memory has gotten a little foggy in the past few weeks." Weiss comments and blushes as Ruby simply chuckles at her before those silver eyes trail slowly across Weiss's body making her feel like the naked one in the room.

Outside, several of the indians working around the ranch are suddenly forced to hear sounds they had never heard Ruby make at a pitch they didn't know she could reach, combined with those of the white haired woman they saw arrive less than a half hour previously. All from a window neither woman had realized was left open.


End file.
